Lightning Strike: The Afterstory
by Kallypso
Summary: A series of fluffy one shots of life after the Lightning Strike trilogy. With Dante finally defeated, life after the struggle is complicated in all the best ways. Moment by moment, Liz, Envy, Ed, Al, and everyone else, live on through the little moments of normal life. Or as normal as it can get, given the circumstances. No real plot. Just the story of life afterwards. R
1. Chapter 1: Moments of Freedom

_**I'm back~~~**_

_**Liz: Oh goodie.**_

_**Well, Lightning Strike fans, I missed this series so I'm back to write more. Its mostly just fluff but there will no doubt be the drama you know and love. Expect romance, friendship, angst and lots of other cute stuff as the characters live out their lives afterwards.**_

_**Ed: That sounds suspiciously non threatening.**_

_**Envy: I don't trust her.**_

_**Oh, what reason have I ever given you to doubt me? :)**_

_**Al: Uh...**_

_**Winry: Don't answer. She can sense fear.**_

_**But really, guys. This story is sweet.**_

_**WARNING: If you have not read the Lightning Strike trilogy, you will not get this but I welcome you to take a look. It is a bit lengthy of course but I always appreciate more views and reviews.**_

_**Liz: So without further ado. Let the afterstory begin!**_

**Chapter 1: Moments of Freedom**

There were time when I was bored that I started running as fast as I could until my lungs felt as if they were about to collapse in on themselves. Until my muscles groaned in protest and forced me to slow, or until I became so uncoordinated in my exhaustion that I tripped and rolled a few feet, occasionally coming up with a skinned elbow or a bruised knee. I loved the feeling of exhaustion overtaking me rather than pain.

One forgets how to live without scars when they have them for long enough. And my scar had plagued me for what seemed like an eternity, holding me back when I wanted to fly.

I tried to make up for it with as much flying as possible now.

I don't know whether or not it annoyed Envy. He sometimes made snide remarks but that meant nothing. Envy made snide remarks when he was happy, sad, angry or otherwise. Maybe it irritated him a little bit when I suddenly bolted mid conversation.

"Conversation was getting boring, is that right, Liz?" He'd call after me.

"Atrociously so!" I yelled back over my shoulder.

"You're an idiot!"

"Love you too!"

Perhaps on principal, all words and gestures of affection were accompanied by some sort of insult. I think it weirded us out to get to friendly with each other. Without a bit of hostility, where was that spark that first brought us together?

After the celebration in Central, Edward and I were given time off. One month only, as Mustang didn't want us getting lazy and thinking all the danger was over. But in our mind, it was. Nothing, not a rogue alchemist, not a government feud, not a war, could compare to our ordeal with Dante and the homunculi.

Working or not, we were still free.

I ran to exercise my freedom. I ran, I climbed and if I was feeling especially ambitious, I attacked Envy to see how long it would take to end up on my back on the ground.

But we all had our little expressions of freedom. Our signs that we were no longer burdened as we once were during our most difficult quest.

* * *

For Envy it was alchemy. His return to humanity meant he was able to practice the art he was long exposed to but could never try. If I left him alone for five minutes, I usually came back to find a chalk circle drawn on the wood.

He understood it well enough. He came from arguably two of the most powerful alchemists ever to live (Next to me _of course_). But understanding wasn't enough for him now. He wanted to do it.

I found him in the library at the Rockbell household, sitting among some of Ed and Al's books which they had saved from the fire. He was drawing a circle with chalk. I leaned over to see what he was working on. A transmutation meant to make a wooden horse.

"Your lines are a little crooked." I noted.

"No one's perfect."

"I am."

"Sure you are."

I smirked and leaned over him. "I guess you'll get better with practice. It takes awhile even if you have been reading the stuff for… how long?"

"400 years."

"Right, four hundred years." I whistled. "Long time. Must be frustrating not to get it right away."

"Come a little closer and I might take out my frustration on you."

"Aren't you the scariest palm tree that ever lived?" I grinned, circling around him and his slightly crooked circle.

"What, am I losing my fear factor?" he looked up at me.

"Yeah." I nodded. "I mean, you can't even do the arm into blade thing anymore. Its pretty lame. You're… normal."

"Doesn't sit well with you, does it?" He raised an eyebrow. "You preferred me as a murderous shape shifter."

"Definitely. It had a bad boy appeal, you know?"

"Would it help if I killed a man?"

"Ooh, sexy. Do I get to pick which one?"

"Go for it."

I shrugged. "I'll wait until I find someone else to hate. Since the Dante ordeal I'm fresh out of grudges. But when I find a new one, you'll be the first to know."

"Excellent." Envy went back to drawing. "Who else is around right now?"

"Well, Lucy and Al are in the kitchen, making dinner. And Winry is in the basement with Edward. She said something about a new model for his arm. So either mechanics or she's making out with him." I said.

"Sounds revolting." Envy tossed down the chalk. And pressed his hand against the circle. It glowed blue and the contents within began to form until they molded to form a wooden horse. It was a little lumpy but still a horse. "Close enough." He sighed. "I think I'll take a break from frustration." He stood. "So Winry and Ed are possibly having a romantic moment?"

"Yep."

"Want to ruin it?"

"You read my mind." He leaned forward and kissed him briefly before I spun away and hurried out the door.

* * *

For Edward the freedom came two fold I think. He still bore a metal arm and leg but he had given up the ambition of ever getting his flesh limbs back. His decision to live with his burden must have made it easier to do. Besides, with Al's body long back, he didn't have to live with the guilt any longer.

Besides, there were perks to having fake body parts in a dangerous profession.

I think the other freedom was in finally admitting his love for Winry. Unconfessed love can be quite the burden. And as we all know, he was in denial about his adoration for his mechanic for many years. How nice it must have been to finally stop blushing and avoiding the subject of his never ending affection.

At least that's how _I _saw it.

I rapped on the door to the basement with a cheerful "Edward? Winry? I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

I heard a faint curse and a scuffle from inside.

"Apparently you were." Envy smirked. "I love ruining moments."

"No, you're not interrupting!" Winry called out, sounding breathless. "Just having Edward test out his new arm!"

"Yeah, come in." Edward said.

I opened the door, walking in with the biggest smile on my face. Ed was now sitting on the work bench with Winry inspecting his leg but they looked a bit ruffled. "Sooo" I leaned on the workbench. "How's the _new arm_?"

"I'll hit you with it and you can tell me." Ed grumbled.

"No, you won't. The nerves need time to settle." Winry chided, brushing some of her hair back into place. She was blushing bright red. "How does it feel though."

"Pretty good. Light." Ed said.

"It's the best material these days. Light, sturdy and flexible." Winry tapped her fingers against the steel. "And not too bulky. It's the easiest to hide under clothing yet. Though why you would _want _to, escapes me. All automail should be out in the open." Winry sighed lovingly.

"It's a good thing you need auto-mail little brother or you'd never have a chance with her." Envy said mildly.

"Shut up." Ed rolled his eyes.

"It must be hard being with a girl who only wants you for your synthetics." I deadpanned.

"You two are impossible. Did you only come down to tease us?" Winry stuttered, fumbling to put away some of her tools, presumably to hide another blush.

"Yes." Envy said.

"No." I elbowed him in the side. "I think Lucy and Al are almost done with dinner. Just a heads up. You know how much Lucy hates to wait once the food is ready to be eaten."

"This is why she's perfect for Al. They both love food." Ed said, hopping off the work bench. "And I do too. Let's get some."

"Well you just were a second ago—Oh you mean get some _food_." I grinned.

"Liz, I am going to _murder _you." Ed said.

I cackled and ran up the stairs before he could test out his new arm on me and he ran up after me. I heard Winry and Envy sigh audibly behind us.

I guess there had to be the responsible one in every relationship. Though the fact that Envy was the responsible one in ours was… frightening.

* * *

For Al, the freedom came with sensation. Though he'd had his body for awhile now, there were still so many things he wanted to try that he had missed when he was trapped in a suit of armor. He longed to touch everything he saw, smell every scent, and taste every food he could.

Which of course offered plenty of challenge for Lucy. She tried to make something different for him every day, partially to give him the chance to experience everything and partially because she loved challenging herself to do stuff like that.

In their relationship, Al was undoubtedly the responsible one, but it had always been that way, no matter who Al was with. Though Ed and I were older, Al was the rock that kept us from flying away. The sensible voice that said, "No Edward, don't cause property damage purely because a man called you short." Or "Liz, maybe you should be careful before starting a relationship with the psychopathic homunculus who has tried to kill you on multiple occasions."

And then we ignored him and the happy circle of our lives continued on. Just as it should be.

"What's for dinner?" Ed asked. "I'm starving."

"You are _just _in time for a delicious chicken pot pie." Lucy twirled around sliding two heaping plates of food across the table. Al caught both and set them at their places.

"It smells great." Al smiled, taking a deep whiff. "Oh, I can't wait to try this. Mom made it once but I haven't eaten it since then."

"This is special, Lucy-brand, chicken pot pie." Lucy finished serving and set all the plates at their places. "So its better."

"So it makes you crazy?" I asked flatly.

"Oh, ha, ha." Lucy rolled her eyes.

"No but really, how many drugs are in it."

"Liz, I'm surprised at you." Lucy put her hands on her hips. "Only _a few_."

"She's joking right?" Winry whispered.

"Probably." Al said.

"Maybe." I nodded.

"Order up!" Lucy sang.

We crowded around the table and dug into the delicious food. As Lucy promised, it was delicious and flavorful enough to hide the taste of any possible drugs. We ate and made jokes about our old battles. The funny moments of near death experiences and general chaos. That night's story of hilarious account was the time Lucy shot a machine gun at Desire like the hellion she was.

"I think it was the proudest moment of my life." Lucy said fondly.

"Made me love you a million times more." I grinned, shoving a forkful of food into my mouth.

I think meals like these were everyone's freedom. Sitting around a table and being… normal.

For Winry it was freedom because she had her childhood friends home and safe.

For Lucy it was freedom because she was living outside of the town she grew up in.

For Al it was freedom because he had a body to enjoy the bounty at the table with, and no longer bore the scars of their one mistake.

For Ed it was finally being at peace, and no longer searching for the unattainable.

For Envy it was the very prospect that he could have a normal family and a normal human life when he for so long had been only a puppet of his 'mother'.

For me it was just all these little moments. Seeing the freedom on their faces. And no longer have a scar on my chest or a voice in my head.

When we were done with the meal, the boys and I went outside to practice sparring while Winry and Lucy watched us from the window, cleaning up the kitchen. Winry warned Ed not to damage his automail if he didn't want to experience a pain worse than death. Lucy cheered everyone on, telling me to go to 'go for the jugular' when I fought Ed.

And at the end of the day I lay down on the grass, panting for breath, not because of a scar, but because of exhaustion.

After all we had been through, the sweet pain of exhaustion could feel like freedom.

* * *

_**Well, there you have it. Short but sweet. A bit of fluff for the afterstory.**_

_**Liz: Nothing bad happened. I'm shocked.**_

_**Envy: Its a trick.**_

_**Ed: Definitely.**_

_**Don't worry, I'll post angst next time. Just to make you all feel at home :)**_

_**All: Damn it.**_

_**Al: REVIEW!**_


	2. Chapter 2: The Cost of Emotions

**_Next chapter of the Afterstory!_  
**

**_Edward: As promised, this one is more angsty_**

**_Liz: Joy_**

**_Al: But it has cute moments._**

**_Envy: It also has a lot of me._**

**_Yes, lots of EnvyxLiz goodness in this chapter! Hope you enjoy!_**

**_Winry: REVIEW!_**

**Chapter 2: The Cost of Emotions**

Envy wondered, at times, if being human was worth it. On one hand he would never have to deal with people like Dante again. He wouldn't be considered a subject for scientific study. He would not be considered a lesser human. With a soul present in his body and the absence of an oroborus tattoo, he suddenly became acceptable to society. Not that he wasn't really before. Most people didn't know what homunculi were. And even if they did, he could always shift and become someone else.

Maybe that was the problem he had with being human. He couldn't shift. When he didn't want to talk to someone or wanted to avoid a situation or wanted to hide, he couldn't just become someone else. He never guessed how irritating it would be to always be trapped in one body every day. Sometimes he still tried to shift on reflex but found he couldn't.

But the shifting wasn't really the problem. No. It was the memories. It was the emotions. It turned out the dose of emotions given to him by Truth for his so called payment for resurrection was a minor dose at best. Only the strongest emotions got to him. Like guilt when faced with the wife and daughter of Hughes, the man he killed. Or worry and care for Liz. Though he only felt the strongest emotions at half their power, it still hit him hard even then because he was son unused to it.

But full human emotion. It could be agony sometimes. Sometimes they weren't so bad. Happiness for instance. Excitement. Love. All powerful but good emotions. They felt out of place but Envy had learned to adjust to those.

But not to guilt. Not to sadness. Not to fear.

The guilt came as a given. There were a million little instances Envy thought back on in his life and felt guilt for. Some of it he could excuse by calling them orders for Dante. In the same way a soldier could. Some of them he could justify by revenge like killing Hoenhiem and trying so often to kill Edward and Alphonse. Besides, the last two were alive; he felt no need for guilt.

But there were the other moments. Times he killed people just to kill. There were plenty of times that had happened. The times he had accidentally killed Kristen and later Liz. He had felt guilt for that even then but when he dreamed of it now, it was excruciating.

Sadness came often with guilt. Sadness came with plenty of other things. A weight on his chest that didn't lift no matter how much he willed it to. Envy managed to ward off sadness on most occasions. But when it arrived it came intensely.

Sometimes it brought tears with it, only a few, but it was something Envy never let anyone see.

Fear was a new one. He never felt real fear before because he was immortal and couldn't die. Now he was a fragile human. He could sick. When he got hurt, it didn't heal. It freaked him out. And it especially drew attention to how fragile humans, like Liz, had always been. And yet they still threw themselves into danger, time after time. They were good fighters but they only got one chance with their bodies.

Or in some other's cases, two. Liz had gotten a second chance after what Envy did to her.

So many of his emotions seemed focus around Liz, the good and the bad. Guilt for what he'd did to her in the past, sadness when he thought too long about it and fear when he thought he might accidentally do something again. The emotions concentrated themselves in his dreams.

He didn't used to dream. Homunculi had memories but not dreams and he had been a homunculus for so long, memories of his human life long faded into the dark recesses of his mind. But now, as a human, he dreamed nearly every night. And sometimes it was nightmares that hit him. He dreamed most of the day he almost killed Liz. The day he _did _kill her.

It was that dream, this particular night, which had woken him up. Not in the mood to face sleep again, he went downstairs to the kitchen. He sat down at the table, thinking for a minute about eating something, but finding his stomach not in the mood. He traced a few marks in the wood instead, feeling the grooves made by Liz's knives when she stabbed them into the table during an argument with Edward. Winry had been very angry with her and Edward for that and Envy couldn't stop snickering. A sheepish Liz was always such an amusing sight as it was so rare. She always argued back with Envy or Edward but a harsh word from Winry or, even better, Izumi, sent her cowering.

The thought couldn't bring a smile on his face at the moment.

"Damn these stupid emotions." Envy muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. Was his humanity really worth this kind of pain? In these moments, he almost didn't think so.

He heard shifting in the living room, the squeak of springs on the couch. Slowly he rose and slipped out of the kitchen. He thought for a minute about turning his arm into some kind of weapon before he remembered he could no longer do that.

He'd settle for fists if it was a robber, though a criminal out in the middle of the nowhere like this was unlikely.

He looked around, searching for the source of the movement before he noticed a small shape huddled on the couch. He reached over and turned on the nearby lamp.

It was Liz, curled up on the couch, shivering. She looked up at him when he turned on the light and sat up immediately, swiftly trying to compose herself like she always did. "Envy. I didn't know you were down here." She wrapped the blanket tightly around her, presumably to hide her trembling shoulders.

"Yeah." Envy observed her. "You okay, kid?"

"Don't call me kid." She muttered, looking away.

"Don't change the subject. Answer the question."

"I wasn't changing the subject. The nickname 'kid' was in your question and therefore it is completely the subject."

"It wasn't the point of the question, and you're still avoiding the answer." Envy took a step toward her. "You're shaking."

"I'm cold." She said flatly.

"And you came down here because you were cold?"

"Maybe."

Envy sighed and moved the rest of the way over to the couch, sitting down next to Liz. She glared at him. It was so typical. When she experienced negative emotions, she took it out on anyone who happened to witness them. Anyone who caught her in her weakness.

She was like Envy in that way. Neither of them wanted their emotions on display.

"Liz, you don't look so good."

"Then stop looking."

"No."

She gave a shaky, bitter laugh. "What, can't keep your eyes off me?"

"Yes, you shaking, angry and paler than usual is the definition of attractive." Envy rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you tell me why _you're _down here." Liz shot back. "What, you're allowed to sulk around the house in the dark and I'm not?"

Envy hesitated. He wanted to lie just as she had. And he could get away with it. He had a much better poker face. But he would be a bit of a hypocrite asking what was wrong with her if he didn't admit something was wrong with him.

"Fine. I had a nightmare. I came down to think." He said flatly. The words left his mouth and he wanted to take them back. Liz didn't know he had nightmares. She didn't know he had things to be afraid of at all. And for some reason he got it in his head she would think less of him for it.

Her eyes widened a bit, the glare melting off her face. "Oh." She looked down, guilt crossing her dark irises now. It was a familiar emotion. "I didn't know… your dreamed."

"I do now." Envy said. "Since becoming human. And sometimes I have nightmares."

"Yeah." Liz shifted, pulling the blanket tighter around her. "I had… a nightmare too."

Envy's mouth twitched. Liz could only hold a glare and an attitude for as long as the person she was arguing with did. As soon as anyone was honest or sincere, she couldn't keep it up. It was one of the things hinting that she acted a lot tougher than she ever felt.

Envy had learned a lot of these little Lizisms since becoming human. Since he gained empathy and started seeing outside of himself a bit more.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours," he said.

"Ooh, are we trading nightmares?" Liz asked sarcastically. "Can we giggle and talk about crushes and have a sleep over afterwards?"

"No to the first two, but I am completely okay with a sleepover with you." Envy smirked.

Liz smacked him in the arm. "Alright. Fine."

"Fine to the sleepover?"

"_No, _perverted palm tree. Fine to the trading nightmares." She rolled her eyes.

"Okay" Envy said. "You first."

"Why do I have to go first?" Liz asked.

"I told you what was wrong with me first so its your turn to go first." Envy said.

"That doesn't make sense to me."

"It does to me. Spill it." Envy poked her in the forehead.

"Alright fine." Liz batted his hand away. "It was a dream about… Malice. And Timmy. I was fighting Malice in the dome but he kept on turning into Timmy after time I got close to killing him. He kept asking why. I kept flashing back to that day." She bit her lip, pulling the blanket tight around her again. But even with the outer cover, Envy could see her shivering. "I finally killed Malice but as soon as I did, he turned into Timmy. Asking 'why, sissy. Why, why, why.'" She blinked hard, a few tears escaping. "I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. I felt too nauseous. Nightmares like that give me anxiety. So that's why I'm shaking like an idiot." She tried to smile, but she failed. Liz could never fake a good smile.

Envy wrapped an arm around her shoulders instinctively, hoping he might be able to calm her shivering down. She didn't pull away from him. That was a good sign. "Do you have them a lot?"

"Not as much anymore, but yes. They sneak up on me." She sighed. "And they make me feel like shit. I'm _used _to emotions and they make me feel like shit." She looked up at him. "But you're not. And you're not used to nightmares. But you look put together."

"I'm not." Envy said. "I just look like it. I have a better poker face than you. But I feel just as nauseous." He shifted. "And like a huge weight is pressing down on my chest."

"Emotions suck like that," Liz said. "So, what was your nightmare about.

"You." Envy said. "I had a nightmare about the day I killed you." Saying it out loud made the tightness return with full force to his chest. "I stabbed you. You died. But when I got into an argument with Truth, he said you couldn't come back. I was screaming at him, but you know truth."

"Annoying little bastard." Liz murmured. She leaned her head against his shoulder and Envy tightened his arm around her shoulders. It made him feel better to feel her there. Feel her solidly next to him. "Do you have that dream a lot?"

"More than any other nightmare." Envy said. "Every time I think back on how close I came to killing you, to screwing up again, I feel guilty. Sad. Afraid. I hate it."

"I'm sorry." Liz murmured. "But… you didn't lose me. I lived." She looked up at him. "I'm here now."

"Yeah." Envy said. He leaned down, kissing her on impulse. Fortunately, Liz was a rather impulsive person so she took to the kiss quickly. Kissing her became easier and easier every time it happened. Less bizarre. Their relationship would always be bizarre but it could become less so.

Liz broke the kiss after a long moment. "You know," she whispered. "I might not be up to the kind of sleep over you were hinting at earlier. And given my ever so sexy pale-faced, trembling, anxiousness, this is probably for the best." She grinned a bit, a real grin. "But it might help me to sleep if you're with me."

"Yeah." Envy murmured. "It might help me too." He twirled a strand of her dark hair about his finger as he lay back on the couch, taking her with him. She settled next to him, head on his chest, closing her eyes.

For awhile they didn't say anything. Envy just listened to the sound of Liz breathing, letting the soft sound calm him. He didn't have to worry about losing her because she was here with him now. As she should be. He watched her in silence thinking she had gone to sleep. Until she sleepily whispered.

"Who do you think will discover us here?"

Envy grinned. "Winry gets up early."

"True, but they're all early risers. I'll take bets on Alphonse. His innocent reaction to it will be the most amusing." She said, cracking one eye open.

"I'm going with Edward."

"Because you love his freak outs?"

"Always."

"Alright, what are we betting?"

"If I win, we have a sleep over like _I _was planning in the future." Envy smirked.

"Fine." Liz matched his smirk. "And if _I _win, you have to go a week without commenting on my height or calling me kid."

"Deal."

They fell asleep soon after that, secure in the knowledge of their new bet, and in the presence of each other. For now, the danger for them was over. There was no need to fear what had passed. Not here. Not now.

The next morning, Envy won the bet, but much to his amusement, Liz didn't seem to upset.

* * *

**_Ed: My eyes... they burn._**

**_Don't ruin the adorable moment Edward._**

**_Liz: Yes we are the pinnacle of adorable_**

**_Envy: Fear my mighty adorableness_**

**_Lucy: I think its cute._**

**_Winry: That's because you love shipping people, Lucy._**

**_Lucy: Yup!_**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**


	3. Chapter 3: It Starts with a Challenge

**_Welcome back to the afterstory!_  
**

**_Liz: After the angst of last chapter- Have some good old fashion, fluffy fun with the whole gang_**

**_Envy: It involves us beating each other up._**

**_Ed: Because that's always hilarious_**

**_Lucy: For sure_**

**_Al: Sigh... why am I the most mature one when I'm the youngest._**

**_Winry: I hear you Al._**

**_Yep :) ENJOY!_**

**Chapter 3: It Starts with a Challenge**

"Last day at home. It's pretty bizarre." Al sighed that morning at the table. He pushed away his empty breakfast plate. Four of us, Al, Ed, Envy and I, sat around the table. Winry and Lucy were somewhere in the basement tinkering with automail. I couldn't help but wonder if Lucy would go with us when we left or if she would stay to keep Winry company. I knew that she must be missed at home as well.

"Very weird." I agreed, still running my finger along the plate to catch the last bit of syrup. I sucked the sweetness from my finger. "But it's probably best. I mean, I can only go so long with doing nothing."

"Same, I get all fidgety." Ed said. He leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head. "But you know, you don't have to come back to Central yet, Al. It's not your work. And it's not like we're searching for the philosopher's stone anymore."

"Doesn't matter. You'd be lost without me." Al grinned. "I might not be a state alchemist but we work together."

"I wouldn't do well sitting around here. I'm sticking with Liz." Envy tapped me on the head. "Got to keep her from being kidnapped so much."

I shot him a glare. "Considering YOU and the OTHER homunculi did most of the kidnapping, I think the chances of that happening have gone down."

"You'll find a way."

"Palm tree."

Envy flicked me in the head and I smacked his hand away.

"Your arguing might be detrimental the mission." Ed cracked a smile.

"Oh, its all in good fun." I rested my chin on my hands. "All we need is a target to be even angrier at and we'll focus."

"And since Liz has such a short temper that will be easy." Envy grinned.

"I will kill you."

"Good luck."

In the midst of their argument, another argument seemed to rise up from behind the door to the basement.

"—Your designs are good but you have no imagination. You should experiment more." Lucy was saying.

"Automail is a science, the original designs are there for a reason. Too much experimentation can get a patient killed." Winry replied.

"Only if you experiment the wrong ways."

The two girls emerged from the basement, clearly in heated discussion.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Al asked nervously.

They didn't acknowledge him. Lucy just moved straight over to Ed, seizing his automail wrist and yanking it up.

"Hey!" Ed protested but Lucy didn't relinquish her hold.

"See, your design is good at the hand and wrist but it gets too bulky up here on the elbow and the shoulder. He'd be a lot more flexible and less weighed down if you were willing to take out some of the unnecessary parts." She twisted the arm, twisting Ed out of his chair in the process. He fell face first on the hard wood floor.

"Ow." He mumbled, his voice muffled by the tile. Lucy continued not to notice him.

"Like you could stand to leave a bit more hollow space here and taking out a few springs here would decrease some of the pressure. It doesn't need quite as much as you think it does."

"Well, when Ed goes around getting into trouble like he does, he needs most of his parts or its easier to break his automail." Winry crossed her arms. "His shoulder takes more damage than anything else."

"You just don't know how to do the experimenting." Lucy held out her arm. "I've been experimenting on myself my whole life. Seeing how the designs can be altered. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't but, you know, since he's your boyfriend, you should be able to get away with experimenting on him."

"I don't know." Winry said.

"Hang on a second." Ed said, jerking his wrist at last from Lucy's grip and standing. "What is this whole argument about?"

"Its about who's designs are more effective." Lucy shrugged. "In a combat scenario at least. My stuff is way lighter and faster."

"But I think the design is too uncertain to really be strong, at least as strong as you need it." Winry said.

"But honestly, most of the times Ed has broken it, unusual circumstances were involved." I pointed out. "Most of the time it was destroyed by alchemy. And no amount of extra metal can protect him from that."

"Yeah, the only other time I broke my automail was when I was in a fight with Greed, and it still held up for a little while after." Ed said. "And that was because punching him was like punching a wall of pure carbon."

"See, they put themselves in strange circumstances where the design means nothing." Lucy held up her own arm. "But in _my _case, I use mine in normal combat situations and I've never broken mine, despite the modified design."

"I can move just as fast as you though." Ed protested. "I'm used to the weight. And I have my full arm and my leg as automail. You only have an elbow. In a fight against me, you wouldn't last."

Lucy's violet eyes sparked. "Is that a challenge?"

I smacked a hand to my forehead. "Oh great, Ed. Why did you do that?"

"You know Lucy can't back down from a challenge, brother." Al sighed.

"Fortunately, neither can Edward." Envy smirked.

"Damn right." Ed stood. "I'll take you on, Lucy. Winry's designs are just as good as yours, and besides its not the automail. It's the fighter that matters."

"Then I say I could _still _take you on." Lucy said, jabbing her metal finger to his chest. "Come on, pipsqueak. Try me."

"Why does everyone still call me that?!" Ed burst out.

"Your reactions of course." Envy grinned.

Ed let out a growl and thrust out his right arm. "Alright, _Looney, _challenge accepted. I'll take you on."

Lucy clasped his steel hand in her own. "Looking forward to it."

"It was just a simple discussion." Winry sighed, rolling her eyes to the ceiling. "How did it turn into a contest?"

"That's just how we roll, Winry." I said, patting her on the shoulder. "This should be interesting.

* * *

Ten minutes later, we were all outside on the porch, enjoying the pleasant spring breeze. I sat on the porch steps, chin rested on my knees, waiting eagerly for the fight to begin. Al and Winry occupied the chairs on the porch though Winry made an effort to look disinterested in the whole affair. And Envy sat on the porch railing just above me. I didn't even have to look at him to picture the smirk on his face.

We all faced the field on which we had sparred many times. And while Ed could often be found on one side of the fight, this was the first time Lucy had faced him. And my interest to see the outcome could not be overstated.

Don't get me wrong, I _knew _Lucy was a deadly force of hyperactive energy, mechanic strength and general craziness. Tornados had nothing on my old friend. But I hadn't seen her spar much. I'd seen her launch a wrench across the room at Brendon's head and I'd seen her scare her fair share of squirrels and passersby by hiding in trees and jumping down in front of them at the last moment. But how would she stack up in a fight against somebody trained, like Edward?

"No alchemy." Lucy said. "This is between the automail, not your fancy magic crap."

"Science," Ed, Al and I corrected in unison.

"Whatever." Lucy said. "The point is, I don't want to see any flashing or fancy stuff like that."

"You've got it." Ed said. "I don't need alchemy. I can take you on my own!"

"Do your worst!" Lucy said, reaching her arm out in front of her and beckoning for him to come at her.

"So what are we betting?" Envy asked, glancing down.

"Ed has trained under Izumi. Got to go with him." I shrugged. "Lucy's crazy but she doesn't have the discipline."

"Well, I can't bet for Edward, on principal. So I'm going for Lucy." Envy said.

"Stakes?"

"Nickname rights. Whoever wins can call the loser any nickname and they can't complain."

"Deal."

We turned back to face the fighters just as Ed made a lunge for Lucy. She ducked under his arm, spinning out of the way, and bringing up her arm to counter a second blow that followed shortly afterward. The side of his forearm caught hers hard, sending her skidding sideways a few feet. She kept her balance though her boots left deep scratches in the earth.

"Nice hit." Lucy grinned, spinning and launching a kick at Ed's face. He ducked back, retreating a few steps as Lucy came at him. "But you don't know automail like I do. You don't know where to _hit_." She ducked under another punch and jammed her fist right at the edge of his shoulder. Ed cried out in pain and she swept his feet out from under him.

"Dammit, what did you do?" he muttered, flexing his fingers.

"Hit you in the shoulder and caused your nerves to spasm, temporarily disabling your automail." Lucy grinned down at him. "What's wrong pipsqueak? Done so soon?"

"You wish." Ed vaulted back to his feet, swiping at her legs with his steel one. She leapt back, laughing gleefully like a kid at a toy store. "Come here you psycho!" Ed growled

"Come and get me!" Lucy sang.

Ed started pounding on the hits hard, a succession of precise attacks that Izumi would be proud of (in her hard-ass Izumi way). Lucy managed to dodge most of them until Ed dropped low, sliding his steel foot into her ankles, and sent them out from under her. With her support gone, she flailed and fell to the ground, using her automail arm to dull the impact, but still ending up on the ground.

"You might have good automail but I'm still more trained than you." Ed said, glaring down at her. "Give up, Lucy."

Lucy stared up at him for a minute before she grinned, her eyes lighting with that psychotic gleam I knew so well. The gleam that used to be a code to me and my friends to run like the wind. "Never." She hit a button on her wrist and her forearm seemed to expand to accommodate several tiny extensions. Extensions that looked like…

"Wait is that a gun?" Al asked.

"Shit!" Ed rolled to the side just as Lucy fired a barrage of bullets. "The hell, Lucy! Are you trying to kill me?"

"Relax, they're loaded with light weight pellets right now. They won't hurt you." Lucy rose to her feet, spinning the chamber around her arm. "But they will smart if they hit you."

"If you get a gun, I get my blade." Ed said, clapping his hand together. Lucy shot off another barrage of pellets, forcing him to fall to the side again to avoid the missiles.

"I believe I said no alchemy." Her grin was positively maniacal. "This is a battle of automail, Edward."

"Still, it is a bit unfair, Lucy." I straightened from where I sat on the steps. "If you're bringing a gun into the situation, I have no choice but to help Edward out" I stepped up to his side.

"Two people taught by your crazy aunt? That's not fair." Lucy pouted.

"Well, I _taught _their crazy aunt." Envy jumped from the porch railing. "So I think I should even things out." He stepped up to Lucy's side.

My eyes narrowed. "So, it comes to this. Traitor."

"Hey, we had a bet. I'm defending my bet."

"I don't think it counts if you help her."

"Sure it does."

Winry sighed from the porch. "After everything they've been through, they're still just children."

"Yeah… I think so too, and I'm the youngest." Al agreed.

"Alright then." Ed said. "Two on two. Let's do this."

We each lunged at each other. I went for Lucy, mostly because I knew Envy would prefer to beat up Edward. It was simply his calling of brotherly love. Also, I was Lucy's oldest friend, and I knew how to handle the psycho better than anyone.

I launched a kick at Lucy's stomach and she jumped back out of the way, hitting the ground in a crouch and propelling herself forward, gun at the ready. I spun around her as she shot at me and kicked her in the back. She stumbled but quickly regained her footing and spun around. I had to duck to avoid the pellets from her gun.

Envy meanwhile was toying with Ed, continuously backing up and dancing around him as he tried to hit him. Every once and awhile, he'd throw a punch which usually scored a hit on Ed's face or stomach. Nothing too rough. Not like the old days. But enough to leave a nice bruise for Envy to tease him about later.

Such was Envy's older brotherly nature. He just looked out for his younger brothers as _any _good sibling would.

Eventually it seemed Ed got fed up with not hitting him because he cried out "ALCHEMIC FREE FOR ALL!" And started sending stone projectiles Envy's way. I took the hint and brought out some of my favorite lightning alchemy and started shooting at Lucy in retaliation. With a wild cry she lunged and tackled me to the ground and we wrestled and rolled, grappling for control. I tried to get my hands back and she tried to wrestle her gun from my grip. All around us, alchemic projectiles seemed to fly about and I saw Envy out of the corner of my eye a few times.

"They're tearing up the field." Al said.

"Edward better thank his lucky stars he can put it back together again." Winry muttered and I could practically see her eyebrow twitching.

* * *

It was a long and glorious fight. Eventually, Ed and I ended up next to each other on the ground, on our backs, panting and laughing like crazy. Envy was kneeling off to the side, leaned up against the porch, also grinning and Lucy was on her knees, trying to keep from pitching over she was cackling so hard.

We were all exhausted and could barely find the energy to stand anymore. But the fight was so much fun we couldn't bring ourselves to care.

"Do we call that a draw then?" I asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, a draw." Lucy nodded. "It was an excellent fight."

"Agreed." Ed forced himself to his feet. "I forgot what we were even fighting about."

"Me too." Lucy said. They both shook hands, and went up to the porch to join their significant others who were shaking their heads. Winry checked Ed's automail to make sure it was okay and lectured him even though it had taken no damage. Al just smiled and blushed when Lucy kissed him on the cheek.

"So, our bet. Who won that?" I asked, crawling over to Envy and sitting down next to him.

"Well if it's a draw, I guess neither." Envy said.

"So what does that mean?"

"It means we keep on calling each other nicknames and keep on getting needlessly angry about it."

"I can work with that."

Exhausted, my head dipped to the side and came to rest on his shoulder. I sighed. "We really are a competitive bunch, aren't we?" I asked, surveying the damaged landscape of the front lawn.

"Yep." Envy said. "Only takes on challenge to blow things out of proportion."

"But I don't mind it."

"Neither do I."

We stayed like that until we had finally regained our breath enough to stand. And after such exercise, we all wanted seconds at lunch and dinner.

This little slice of normalcy had been nice. A good change of pace. But the intensity of our fight made one thing clear: We were ready to get back on the job.

Ready to continue our work as State Alchemists.

**_Join us next week when the gang gets back in the field! What will their first mission back be?_  
**

**_Liz: The suspense is killing me._**

**_Envy: As always_**

**_Don't forget you two... I still have a problem with SARCASM._**

**_Envy: Whatever._**

**_Ed: Don't forget, you're not immortal anymore._**

**_Al: She can kill you._**

**_Envy: Crap, you're right. *flees the scene*_**

**_COME BACK HERE._**

**_Winry: Sigh... hope you enjoyed. Check out the authoress' profile page for more information on updates and to find her on other social media._**

**_Lucy: And don't forget to REVIEW!_**


	4. Chapter 4: The Criminal Chimera

**_I'm back with the next chapter in the Lightning Strike Afterstory!_  
**

**_Liz: In this one we're back on the job._**

**_Ed: And likely to meet with bad luck_**

**_Envy: Because that's how our lives work_**

**_Indeed it is._**

**_Al: ENJOY!_**

**Chapter 4: The Criminal Chimera**

This was a familiar scene. Ed and I sitting side by side in front of Major General Roy Mustang's desk, looking upon his all too familiar easy smirk. Even when Mustang didn't have anything insulting to say, he seemed to wear that smirk just be sure he was pissing Edward off no matter what the topic of conversation. Or at least that was how it used to be.

Back when we were still kids working for the military, Mustang never passed up an opportunity to tease Ed while Ed never passed up an opportunity to attempt murder with his violent rants while I laughed hysterically.

Since then, Ed had matured (a bit), and Mustang seemed less keen on annoying him (again, just a little bit) and I no longer laughed so hard (okay, that one is a lie).

Maybe some things never changed, right down to Ed and I both being called into Mustang's office at the same time. It felt like the old days of searching for the philosopher's stone. Since we returned from beyond the gate, we had gotten a lot of our own missions, separate from each other. That had been the deal for once we found the stone. And we technically had, we just didn't use it.

Still, it was good to be able to work with Ed again. We knew each other well and how we worked. Plus we would have twice the strength with Al and Envy coming along with us.

"So what's up, General?" Ed asked, leaning back in his chair, crossing his arms. "What mission is so big that it needs the both of us?"

"Its not so big at all actually." Mustang smirked, resting his chin on his clasped hands. "It's a prisoner transport, actually. The military police asked for state alchemists to help guard the prisoner. He's rather dangerous so they felt paranoid."

"But why use alchemists in that case?" I asked. "Wouldn't a normal higher ranking officer do just fine, alchemy or not?"

"They would, but the criminal is a chimera." Mustang said, his smirk dropping slightly.

Ed and I exchanged glances. We'd had plenty of experiences with Chimeras, from the tragedy of Nina Tucker to the highly functioning ones like Marta. A chimera criminal, oddly enough, seemed completely normal now. We had been desensitized to the absurd (This should not be a surprise. I started going out with my boyfriend when he was still a murderous, palm tree shape shifter). I clearly have issues with the unknown realm of normalcy.

"I'm sending you two specifically because you have first handed experience with this kind of thing." Mustang said. "It should be routine enough. It is highly unlikely anything will go wrong."

"Every time those words are said, _everything _turns out going wrong." I said flatly.

"Fine then. You're most likely going to die in various horrible ways."

"Much better."

"Fine then. Routine job. Just something to get us warmed up before the real work begins." Ed stood, stretching and cracking his neck.

"Glad you're taking so well to this mission. You used to berate me every time I offered you any mundane mission." Mustang said.

"That was back when we had important things to do." Ed said defensively.

"And he's gotten a fraction more mature," I said.

"Are you sure?" Mustang asked.

"It's a very small fraction. Microscopic."

"Just like Edward."

Ed's eyebrow twitched. "I'm about to feel an old sense of childhood wrath."

"Relax Edward, we're only teasing." Mustang slid a pack of tickets across the desk. "The train leaves tomorrow morning."

"Ugh… trains." I groaned. I hated trains. It had nothing to do with motion sickness. It had everything to with the fact that everything went wrong when we got on trains. Either a breakdown or a terrorist organization. We had really bad luck with travel.

"You've given us four tickets, sir." Ed noted, looking from the tickets to Mustang.

"Yes." Mustang's mouth twitched. "I know perfectly well that you're taking company along. Just because they're not in here doesn't mean that Envy and Al aren't waiting near bye."

I grinned. "Thanks, General."

"No problem." Mustang said. "Remember, its only your first mission back on the job. Don't get into trouble."

"We won't." Ed and I chorused.

But honestly I don't know why we even tried. Because we _did _inevitably get into trouble.

And inevitably it started on a train.

* * *

We were stationed in two separate passenger cars on either side of a cargo car where the prisoner and his guards were being kept. Ed and Al stayed in one car and Envy and I in the other. The intention was that if anyone tried to free the prisoner, they would have to through us first. We'd see any terrorists coming and we'd be able to block them.

Theoretically. Plans so rarely worked in our favor.

We saw the prisoner himself only briefly. Most of our knowledge from him came from the file Mustang had given us. His name was Trent Harrison. He had long been one of the higher ups of an Eastern resistance group working to expose the military of its past sins. So you know, every resistance group we've ever encountered. I've begun to lose track of how many there are. They pop up like heavily armed wack-a-moles every time we hop on a train.

Trent Harrison was a broad shouldered man, likely a chimera of a human and a large animal. His build was similar to that of Roa, the cow chimera I had encountered so many years ago who worked for Greed. But he had a longer face. Even in the picture, he looked muscular but when I saw him briefly, such strength was accentuated. Every time he moved his bound arms, the muscles seemed to ripple. He tossed his head quite often, as if an irritating fly was buzzing in his ear. And he kept stamping his foot on the ground, his boots making hollow clicks in the floor of the car. He said nothing but he occasionally blew harsh breaths of air out through his nose. It was unsettling even in the few minutes I spent in the cargo compartment and I clearly wasn't the only one who felt this way. The guards kept eyeing him uneasily, eyes darting toward him every time he shifted or made one of his harsh sounds.

"It's a wonder anyone managed to catch him at all." I said, reading the file over Envy's shoulder. "He's huge."

"Armstrong was involved." Envy said flatly.

"Ah. That explains it." I shifted in my seat. "Still, seems a little off to me. He seems too calm. Kind of freaky."

"It doesn't feel right to me either." Envy said. "I think the General has a habit of making things sound better than they are. He's probably expecting danger. So he sent both of you knowing Al and I would be along to help. He _wanted _all four of us here. That's why he got four tickets."

"Ugh." I rubbed my hand over my face. "Does this mean we have to deal with _another _train terrorist attacks. They're really annoying."

"Probably." Envy replied.

"Think Ed and Al know?"

"Don't know. I'm sure they have the same suspicions but maybe I should talk to them." Envy rose from his seat. "Don't get yourself kidnapped in the next five minutes."

"On it," I said, giving him a thumbs-up.

You might think he's over protective but I'm prone to kidnappings like other people are prone to broken bones. It's quite a problem.

I settled back in my seat, placing my hands behind my head and relaxing a bit. My eyes drifted out the window, watching the countryside pass us by. For as much turmoil and rebellion as there was, the East always managed to look peaceful when a gun wasn't being shot off in the vicinity.

This thought crossed my mind about the time a gunshot went off in the vicinity.

"Everybody down!" a gruff voice called. The other passengers screamed, ducking beneath their seats and plastering themselves to the floor. All except for me of course.

"Holy hell, you have GOT to be kidding me!" I snapped, bolting upright immediately and drawing my knives in one swift jerk. I started drawing energy from the air as soon as I could, knowing I'd need it.

In front of me stood three people. A man with white hair and impressive sideburns, a woman with blonde hair and a jagged tooth sticking out from under her top lip, and a younger man, maybe only a few years older than me, with dark skin and red eyes. Ishvalan. They each had a weapon but judging by some of their more animalistic appearances, I guessed some might be chimera's too. The woman especially had a wild look in her eye that reminded me of a feral cat rather than a human. Said wild eyes darted to the chain that hung on my belt, connecting the pocket watch that gave me my title.

"A state dog, huh?" she seemed to bristle. "Should have known they'd send one along. I hate _dogs._"

"Okay, so you _are _a cat chimera." I said. I had to sidestep to avoid being hit by a bullet from her gun. She had clearly been the one to shoot the gun off in the first place.

"I was combined with a bobcat. How did you know?" she hissed.

"I've dealt with a lot of chimeras in the past." I said.

The woman looked like she might say something else but she was cut off by the older man. "Back off, Robin. We need to know where Trent is and this one probably knows."

"So you're a cat chimera named after a bird." I said.

"Shut it, dog."

"I might be a dog but at least I'm not named _cat_."

Robin hissed and took a step forward but the young Ishvalan caught her arm. "Please, Robin. We have to get information."

"Besides we might need—" the older man started but I used their brief moment of distraction to spring into action. With enough charge built up to send out a good shock I did just that, sending three bolts out simultaneously. It wouldn't kill them but it would rattle their brains enough to cause a loss of consciousness for a bit.

Hopefully for long enough to buy me time to find my friends so we could come up with a plan. We really should start making plans for terrorists _every time _we get on a train.

As planned, the three thugs fell to the ground. I looked from them to the other passengers. "So… uh… you might want to go to another car?"

They scrambled for the back door in an instant and I turned to the front door, pushing quickly into the cargo car. I found the four soldiers clutching at their guns, looking around nervously at the sound of other gun shots not many cars away. Trent sat as calmly as ever. His right foot tapped at the ground, sending gentle vibrations throughout the cart.

"State Alchemist Parker." The soldiers saluted. "What should we do?"

"Hey, I'm as confused as you right now." I said. "But don't worry, we'll handle it. Have any of my other companions come in here."

"There's nothing to handle anymore." Trent spoke. He had the kind of voice pitched so low that it rumbled through your chest with each word he spoke. "I'm afraid I am as good as freed."

"Don't move!" one of the soldiers said, turning on him. Trent did not even look at him. He just tossed his head like a fly was buzzing in his ear.

"I just neutralized three of your companions. Don't be so confident." I said. My hands clenched around my knives.

"My companions are all more durable than normal humans." Trent said. He stood and the soldiers stepped back. They were all waving guns now.

"Sit down! Sit down now!"

"Be careful with those." I warned. "Or the ricochet…"

"The state dog is correct; it would be unwise to shoot me." Trent said. "Perhaps you should be the ones surrendering. Then you will leave with your lives."

"I don't surrender to terrorists." I growled. "I don't answer to anyone who uses fear to control people."

"Yes, unlike your innocent military." Trent met my eyes. The four men surrounding him seemed inconsequential to such a large man. I felt small just looking at him and I am not one to admit that. I was really hoping Ed, Envy and Al would come in right about now to give me some backup seeing as the current company was less than useful.

"Okay, you make a good point. The military screws up a lot." I said. "But they were under bad leadership until recently. Things have gotten better. They aren't doing the experiments that made you what you are anymore."

Trent's mouth twitched into a small smile. "Amazing how naïve pups of the state can be sometimes. You always amuse me so."

"Yeah, well terrorists amuse me." I shot back, ignoring the doubt that spiked through me at his words. "With their false justice and crusade for revenge. I've got a bit of a thing against revenge. Don't take it personally. The military screws up sometimes but we still do good too."

"Perhaps we _are _trying to do good, just like your military." Trent said.

My eyes narrowed. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"You will." Trent said.

Without warning, the door behind me burst open. I had to roll to the side to avoid being knocked in the back and I wasn't quite fast enough to dodge the blow from the recovered cat-named-after-a-bird chimera that hit me hard in the back of the neck. I slumped to the ground, my vision blurring. A series of thuds and bangs echoed throughout the car but I couldn't focus for long enough to discern what was happening. My ears were ringing. I saw the blurred forms of the soldiers lying on the ground and Trent still standing. I heard his cuffs hit the floor because the ringing sent a bolt of pain through my head.

"That wasn't so hard." Robin's voice said. "Guess the state dogs aren't as tough as they brag about."

"Not so tough at all." The door on the other side of the car open and three more goons came through. One tossed a red shape to the ground next to me. It took me a minute to realize it was Edward. "I got the other one."

"Good, bring them both." Trent said.

I resisted the urge to scream in frustration as someone picked me up. Why me? Why? WHY?

This was the thought that most thoroughly permeated my mind as I drifted into blackness. I also seem to have a problem with that. But in the world of my fucked up life, kidnapping and getting knocked into sleep often go hand in hand.

* * *

"They jumped off the train." Al panted when he found Envy. They had all gotten split up in the commotion. "And I can't find Ed."

"Why did he go charging off alone before letting us think of a plan?" Envy muttered, rubbing a hand over his face.

"That's how brother is."

"I'll say." Envy looked up. "Where's Liz?"

Al twiddled his thumbs. "Um… I can't really find her either."

Envy sighed heavily. "God dammit Liz. I thought I told you not to get kidnapped."

* * *

_**Liz: Kidnapped, me? In what universe.**_

_**Envy: Crazy right?**_

_**Ed: I'm not kidnapped quite as often**_

_**Liz: Well, welcome to the party.**_

_**Yep! I know I said there isn't going to be a plot but there is going to be a BIT of a plot. It will just be mixed with lots of fluff and its kind of aimless but there will actually be a main antagonist. We'll hear from them next chapter or the chapter after that.**_

_**Liz: Spooky**_

_**Al: The authoress is always spooky.**_

_**That I am.**_

_**Winry: REVIEW!**_


	5. Chapter 5: Another Hostage Situation

**_Kidnapping aside, this is a pretty funny chapter._  
**

**_Liz: I've been kidnapped so much, it has ceased being scary_**

**_Envy: That's how screwed up your life is._**

**_Ed: Yep._**

**_Next chapter will be heavier. But this one is short and entertaining._**

**_Al: Enjoy!_**

**Chapter 5: Another Hostage Situation**

I ended up face down on the floor of a tent in the terrorist's group camp site, wondering how Ihad _become_ a prisoner when I was supposedto be the one _transporting _the prisoner. How was my skill for being kidnapped so very refined? Or did a higher power have it out for me?

Even if Truth had left my head, I swear to god the little bastard was still working to screw me over.

This time, at least, I had Ed for company, which was a change from the usual. Usually I was kidnapped on my own and sometimes with Al but never with Ed. Not unless you count the time in the fifth lab which I don't because Al and I were the ones tied up, not Ed.

Now I just had to get kidnapped with Envy and I'd have a full set.

I just realized how weird it was that I collected kidnapping buddies.

"We've got to get out of here." Ed said, struggling against his bonds. He really just ended up flopping across the ground like an undignified worm.

"Yeah, maybe if you roll around enough, you'll fray the ropes." I said sarcastically.

"Got any other bright ideas?"

"Not at all."

"You're way to calm about this."

I sighed. "Ed, do we _need _to review all the times I've been kidnapped? I'm used to it by now. Completely desensitized."

"Right." He rolled his eyes. "But we still have to get out of here before they decide to kill us."

"No danger of that." A voice said from behind us. I rolled over on my back to see Trent Harrison stepping into the tent. He was so tall he had to sit down on a crate upon entering the tent or else he would have had to bend over at an uncomfortable angle. He sat on the crate across from Ed and I, looking down at us with a faintly amused glimmer in his eye. "If we planned on killing you, we wouldn't have taken you hostage."

"Yeah Ed, gosh, don't you know this?" I exhaled dramatically. "You have a lot to learn about being a kidnapping victim."

"You are sad, Liz."

"Stuff it, pipsqueak."

Ed seemed to think about shooting back a retort but since our kidnapping was the more important issue, he looked back to Trent. "If you're not going to kill us, what _are _you going to do with us?"

"Simple. You are our hostages to gain access to a military lab." Trent said. "The military lab that they were sending me to in fact." He tossed his head. "You were part of a set up from the very beginning. I planned to be captured so that I would be taken near our destination. We knew that state alchemists would be sent along to accompany me. I had one hour to find out the location of the lab before my team stopped the train. Then we took you two as hostages so we'd have a way to get in."

"Great. A plan from the beginning. Why does Mustang always stick us with these damn jobs." Ed muttered.

"Either bad luck or he secretly can tell the future and is picking all the worst ones just for us." I said.

"I'd believe either." Ed groaned. "Well don't expect us to cooperate with terrorists. We're not going to help you attack a military lab. We're not going to help you attack anything."

"That's the thing about being hostages, alchemist." Trent tapped at the ground with his right foot. "I don't need you to help with anything. I just need you to exist and stay in our possession."

"Duh." I said. "Gosh Ed, don't you know—"

"The rules of kidnapping, I got it." Ed groaned. "Look, we know that chimeras like you have been through shit and that it's the military who made you this way. But that doesn't mean you have a right to keep attacking them like this when they've stopped the human experiments that created you."

Trent shook his head, blowing out a harsh puff of air. "Some of you alchemists are so blind. The horrible experiments that you think have ended… they might not be in the past like you think."

Ed and I cast each other glances. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"Half of my crew was broken out of a military lab just three months ago, while the military was busy mobilizing to fight the north. Some of them were freshly made chimeras, still recovering from the procedure." Trent said. "We destroyed that lab but not before we found out it had a twin. A twin research facility conducting the same horrible experiments. We've been trying to locate this lab for months." He looked between us. "We are attacking this lab in order to free the chimeras there and keep further lives from ruin. We would not wish our fate on anyone. As strong as our procedures have made us… it is not worth the cost."

"They're still… experimenting." I muttered. Anger filled my chest. I'd always hated the very idea of creating chimeras. Ever since Nina Tucker and all the way up through Knuckles, I hated to see people's lives ruined by these senseless experiments. I thought of Marta, Roa, Dorechet… all betrayed by the military they served and turned into something not fully human.

"It is hard to tell alchemists to stop searching for progress when they see the road ahead." Trent said.

"Yeah." I said. "You know what Ed said about us not doing anything to help you? Forget that. I am going to do something." I looked Trent in the eye. "I can't stand working for the military if we let this continue under our nose."

"Yeah." Ed said, and I knew he was thinking about little Nina. "She's right. We can't sit by and let that happen. If you're telling the truth… we'll help."

"Really now." Trent raised his eyes. "You don't want to protect the practice in the name of science?"

"We have a thing against those who play god with other people's lives." I said. "No science is worth that."

"If you wish to help, you may." Trent said. "We cannot let you go free and we will still have you watched. We cannot risk losing you." He shrugged. "But at the very least, we can untie you."

"Don't worry, I've got it." I said, standing up as my ropes fell away.

Ed's eyes bugged. "Liz, how in the hell—"

"I always keep knives in the easiest to reach places in case of kidnapping." I smirked at him, waving said knives around. "You really should come more prepared for this kind of thing Edward. God, you know nothing about the subtle art of being a hostage."

"Liz… I've known you for years… and you are still so weird."

* * *

Envy and Al tried to hop off the train as soon as possible, except the surviving soldiers had blocked off all the entrances, sealing people on the train. They were questioning passengers to find out their identities before they started moving again.

This would not normally be a problem as Envy was perfectly fine with knocking the soldiers to the side and jumping off anyway, but Al tried to placate him.

"I think we should avoid knocking any heads together." Al said. "As much as possible."

"I wasn't going to knock heads together." Envy muttered. "I was going to knock heads into my fist, then the wall, then the ground. But not together."

"They have guns. You could get shot." Al pointed out.

"Right." Envy rolled his eyes skyward. "Fighting was so much easier when I was immortal."

"It was easier when I had a metal body." Al's mouth twitched into a smile. "Can we try to find a plan of action that doesn't involve violence? Even if we get off the train right now, we have no idea what direction they went in."

"I know. Then what's your suggestion, little brother?" Envy asked.

"That we find out what their final destination is. We'll find Liz and Ed if we head them off at the pass." Al said.

"Good plan, but we have no idea how to find them." Envy pointed out. "And if we leave them too long, Ed and Liz could end up hurt or worse."

There was no way he was letting Liz die. She'd had a brush with death one to many times and he wouldn't let it happen again. Why did she have to be so damn good at getting into trouble?

"I know," Al said. "But—"

"Excuse me." A soft voice said.

Envy and Al turned to see a small girl, maybe around fourteen, standing behind them. She was wrapped up in a cloak that hid her face from the side but looking closely, Envy could see her cat like green eyes and scruffy hair. Her teeth, when she spoke, we slightly sharp. He'd worked in the business of screwing up lives enough to know a chimera when he saw one. Was she part of the terrorist group? She seemed young, but that meant nothing. Liz and Ed were shrimps when they joined the state.

Liz still was a shrimp, technically.

"You're friends with the two state alchemists, aren't you?" the girl asked. "The ones who were taken from the train?"

Envy's eyes narrowed slightly on the girl and she backed up a step. He wasn't immortal anymore but he hadn't lost his skill for intimidation. It came in handy in situations such as these. "Yeah, we are. I'm guessing you might know where we can find them?"

"Y-Yes, I do." The girl pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders. "I know where they're headed at least."

"Good, then you're just the person we want to see." Envy said, his hand clenching into a fist. The girl's eyes widened.

"They won't be harmed." She said in a rush. "Trent has no intention to kill or hurt them. He just needs to… bother them. But they're fine."

Al rested a hand on Envy's shoulder. "Let her explain. Besides, it will attract attention if you beat up a kid in the middle of a train."

Envy's hand relaxed. "Fine." He looked down at the girl. "Start talking before I change my mind."

"Alright." She murmured. "My friends, the group lead by Trent, we're trying to shut down a alchemic lab owned by the military. We just need state alchemists as hostages to get in. We need to stop the experiments and save some of our friends still trapped in there."

"What kind of experiments?" Al asked. "You don't mean experiments to make chimeras, right? The military discontinued those."

"Wouldn't that be nice." Envy said. "But it's likely some have stayed operational. Not everyone was as opposed to the Fuhrers questionable policies when he was in office. They're not all like Mustang."

"I can take you to the lab." The girl said. "I can show you that your friends are unharmed. But I ask you, please, let us use them for this. We need to stop this facility. It's a terrible place." She picked at her nails. "If it's anything like the lab I escaped from."

"If Liz and Ed assist you though… they could be labeled criminals as well." Al said.

"Doubtful." Envy said. He studied the ground. "No… Roy Mustang has no more tolerance for these kinds of experiments than these chimeras. He was in Ishval after all. He hates any perversion of alchemy." Envy crossed his arms. "Just like I do. I can't stand stupid alchemists who don't know when to quit. They used to be useful when I worked for Dante. But now they just drive me crazy."

"I know Liz and Ed feel the same way." Al said. "And after what happened with Nina… there's no way they _won't _help this group if they know the situation." He looked down at the girl. "You're really young to be a successful chimera. I don't think I've seen one your age before. Not at your level at least."

"They test on all ages." The girl looked away.

"They won't be for long." Al said. "Please… take us to the location. If we can, we'll help you get in and we'll help you stop the experiments going on there. Right?" he looked at Envy.

"Right." Envy said. "You got a name, kid?"

"Rachel." The girl replied, giving a small smile. "Thank you… for understanding. Most people don't take chimeras seriously. Or they hate them. As if being fused with an animal has made us less human."

"I think Alphonse and I both know a thing or two about being less than human." Envy said.

"Yeah." Al rubbed a hand behind his head. "It would be hypocritical to discriminate."

"Guess so." Rachel said.

"Attention passengers! The train is about to move again! Please take your seats!" someone called from the front of the car.

Envy and Al slid into the nearest avalible seat and Rachel sat across from them.

"Tell me, are we close?" Envy asked.

"Yes." Rachel said. "Two stops away."

"Good." Envy said. He was still annoyed that Liz had been kidnapped. But even though he couldn't take it out on her kidnappers, he at least had some idiot alchemists he could punch into the ground to take out some of his frustration.

* * *

_**Liz: I am a kidnapping expert**_

_**Envy: Yep.**  
_

_**Ed: Stay tuned for the next chapter!**_

_**Al: The authoress lied. NEXT chapter is when we first hear from the main villain.**_

_**But only briefly.**_

_**Winry: Be sure to vote on the poll on Kallypso's profile if you haven't. She's taking it down on Monday and replacing it with a new poll!**_

_**Yep! REVIEW!**_


	6. Chapter 6: Horrors Underground

_**I know this chapter is late! Unforseen circumstances made it difficult to get the chapter out today.**_

_**Liz: So here it is. LATE**_

_**Envy: For shame.**_

_**Shut up, I tried!**_

_**Ed: This is a short chapter but the main villain IS hinted at.**_

_**Al: You don't see him, but you get a taste of who he is.**_

_**Liz: Yeah, its all mysterious and crap.**_

_**Winry: ENJOY!**_

**Chapter 6: Horrors Underground**

It was dark and raining when we made our move toward the lab. Not the best weather for comfort, but there was definitely an excess of energy in the air which could be helpful. Days like this caused plenty of static in doors, especially when a lot of metal was readily available. And since this was a lab, I expected as much.

Trent's groups stood at various points on the street, crammed into different alleyways. Some stood on the roof, guns in hand, in case anything got bad. Ed and I had been rebound for the purposes of the initial approach. They couldn't get in easily unless they had us as hostages. It was annoying but the knots weren't tight. For a kidnapee expert like myself, they would be no problem to wriggle out of.

"We need them to open the gate. Then, once we get the keys from one of the personnel, we'll have access to the lab." Trent muttered under his breath.

"I'll get the keys." Robin said. She hadn't been happy when we were released from our bindings. I guessed she was still sore about the bird joke I made.

_I _thought it was funny.

"Minimize casualties, Robin." Trent warned. "Everybody will give Central greater cause to vilify us."

"Not if the experiments taking place here are revealed. The military can't publicly condone this kind of thing." Ed said. "Even if some of them carry it out behind the scenes."

"Right." Trent said. "But none the less, we are still terrorists. We must take precautions. As such, our number one priority when we get in will be freeing their victims. Then we'll leave." He looked to Ed and me. "It will be your job to secure the culprits and hand them over to the military police."

"We can do that." Ed said. "Leave it to us."

"We will." Trent said.

"Don't even think about turning on us." Robin hissed. "You'll regret it."

"Didn't even cross my mind." I replied. I felt for my knives beneath the rope binding so that I could get to my weapons quickly as soon as we were in. "Let's do this."

* * *

"This way." Rachel said, running quickly down the street with Envy and Al in toe. "We're close now. And they're probably about to make their move. Its about that time."

"And you're sure this move doesn't involve either Liz or Ed getting hurt?" Envy asked.

"I'm sure. Our group doesn't want to draw anymore fire than necessary." Rachel said. "They—wait." She skidded to a stop, ducking into an alleyway so fast that Envy almost thought she had disappeared. He figured out that she had not when he heard her whisper to his right. "Over here. Quickly!"

The two followed her into the alleyway, hiding in the shadow. What they were hiding from, Envy didn't know.

"What is it, Rachel?" Al asked as she peeked around the corner.

"They're making their move now." She said.

Al and Envy looked around the corner as well and saw a small group of people approaching the gates of the lab. Among them, Envy caught sight of Ed's blonde hair through the dark of the rain. And of course, the small figure next to him must be Liz. Words were exchanged but they were too far away to hear what was being said.

"Come on…" Rachel murmured under her breath. "Let them in… please."

"If they let them in, what happens?" Al asked.

"We get our friends out." Rachel said. "And you can get yours. Once they have access and a key, we won't need them anymore."

"Wouldn't be surprised if Liz and Ed stay to see it through though." Envy said. "Neither of them have any tolerance for this kind of thing." He shrugged. "But we'll get them out if it gets dangerous."

"And if this kind of illegal activity _is _happening inside the lab, like you say, it would be their job as state alchemists to handle the situation." Al said.

"Yes. And—" Rachel began but she was silenced by a gunshot. Several gunshots, in fact. And the sound of crashing. The gates had been forced open and a huge group of people was rushing inside, appearing from ever possible direction. Liz and Ed disappeared immediately in the crowd.

"Shit." Envy said. "Let's go, Alphonse."

"Right behind you." Al said, running after him down the street.

* * *

As I suspected, the bindings were easy to throw off. Once we passed the military police and Robin got a hold of the keys, we were free to help them with the operation. Mustang might give us flak for working with terrorists but since we were also helping with state business, I had high hopes that he would forgive us.

Besides, it was _his _fault that we got put on this mission in the first place.

Ed and I tried to find the main lab where we knew the head alchemist and any of his assistants would be stationed. The halls within the lab were a maze, but we were used to that. Every lab was different but they often had a similar structure. The main lab would be somewhere at the center while any so-called 'storage compartments' for materials, would be near the outer edges. We relayed this information to Trent before we parted with him.

"Thank you, state alchemists." Trent nodded. "For being open to persuasion."

"You didn't have to persuade us. Just tell us the truth." I said. "Good luck to you."

"And you."

We managed to locate the main lab after a short amount of time. The door was locked but Ed basically obliterated it with alchemy, opening up our way to the room of panicked alchemists inside. Tables and benches, littered with alchemic materials, were scattered throughout the room, and we only had to take a quick look at their contents to confirm what Trent had told us. There were people strapped to some of these tables, being examined. And the mere sight made me boil up with rage.

"What are you doing in here?!" one alchemist, a balding man with an impressive mustache, demanded as he stepped forward. "This area is off limits."

"To most maybe." Ed said. "But we're a couple of state alchemists. And it seems like there's some illegal activity going on here."

"State… alchemists?" the head alchemist stepped back. This seem to frighten him plenty because he took off from the room in a shot.

"Get back here!" I snapped.

"Liz, follow after him." Ed said, punching one alchemist across the face as he lunged at him. "I'll take care of things here. But don't let him get away."

"I'm on it!" I responded, booking it after the man.

We needed him. We needed him to know how deep into the military this scandal went. Ed and I had a long history of losing important leads in investigations like this and we weren't going to let it happen now.

* * *

I chased the lead alchemist down the dimly lit hall. He was surprisingly spry for someone of his size. It had to be the adrenalin that propelled him forward. The look on his face was one of pure terror, as if the devil himself was chasing him.

I always liked to think of myself as a little devilish but I didn't think I could envoke such fear from the man.

"Slow down!" I called after him. "You have nowhere to go! Just stop!"

The man ignored me, continuing to run at a breakneck pace until he eventually met with a dead end. He let out a horrified cry, scratching at the wall as if he could create a door with pure will. I skidded to a stop ten feet away from him.

"That's enough." I said. I kept my voice steady but the alchemist's behavior was beginning to freak me out. He should not be this afraid of me. I liked to consider myself intimidating as much as the next person but not like this. "Just come quietly."

"I can't." the man gasped out, not turning to face me. "I can't. I can't go with them. I'm not allowed to."

"Well… you're going to have to. You're sort of being arrested." I said.

"No… no he won't allow that. He can't allow that." The head alchemists muttered.

"He?" I stared at him. "Who's he?"

"He has been watching over us. He knows everything." The alchemist turned to face me, his expression vacant but still frightened. As if he was staring off into space at something. "If I go with the military… if I answer their questions… he will kill me."

"The military will have you in protective custody." I took a step toward him.

"No." the alchemist shook his head, a bitter smile on his face. "There is nothing they can do to stop him."

"Then answer my questions if you won't answer there's. Who told you to do this?" I demanded.

"He did."

"There's a lot of 'he's in this world, pal. I need a name. Which one of the higher ups?" I asked.

The man shook his head, not saying a word. "No… No…"

"Look, you have to—" I took a step forward but stopped with the alchemist released a blood curling cry.

"NO! NO please don't! I haven't told her anything. I promise!" He collapsed, writhing on the ground, clawing at the wall. "Please. Please!"

"Hey." I tried to keep my voice steady as I watched the man but a shake crept into my words. "Hey, what's your problem? Who are you talking to?" I lunged forward and grabbed the man by the collar, jerking him up. "Answer me!"

But all at once the man froze, suddenly going limp. All the light rushed from his eyes in a split second. My eyes widened and I dropped him, stumbling back. He fell into a crumpled heap on the floor, unmoving.

He was dead.

"Shit." I muttered. "_Shit_." I looked around, then back at the body. "What happened? H-he was alive just a second ago."

"Liz!"

I turned to see Envy running down the hall. He skidded to a stop next to me as he saw the body. "What happened?"

"I-I don't know. He just dropped dead. I didn't do anything, I—" I looked at him. "How'd you get here? How did you find us?"

"Long story, tell you later." Envy said. "You alright, kid?"

"Yeah." I stared at the body of the man. "Except the culprit is dead. He stopped breathing before he could tell me who ordered him to do this." I shivered. "Something was very wrong with him. Like he was talking to himself. It didn't make any sense."

"It's the investigation branch's job now." Envy said slowly. He observed the body as well. "You did what you could."

"Yeah." I murmured.

"Anyway," Envy looked me over. "What did I say about getting kidnapped?"

"You said not to do it in the next five minutes." I said. "But I'm _pretty _sure I didn't get kidnapped until ten minutes later."

Envy rolled his eyes. "Even when I'm not your enemy, you always find _someone _to kidnap you."

"You've still kidnapped me more than anyone else, if that makes you happy."

"It kind of does."

"Bastard."

* * *

We held the surviving alchemists until morning, being sure they couldn't escape. But none of them seemed to know who was at the top of the scandal. Only the head alchemist had known who had ordered them to carry out the experiments.

The military police then took it from there, asking us questions but letting us go shortly afterward. Ed was highly irritated with the whole ordeal and he claimed, days afterwards, that Mustang had probably known about the plot within the military and assigned us on prison transport so we would 'stumble upon' the operation and break it up. I wasn't as much of a conspiracy nut as him but I admitted, his prediction did sound plausible.

Somewhere in all the commotion of the aftermath, someone must have slipped the note into my pocket. And I didn't discover it until several hours later when I reached a hand into my jacket pocket to find one of my knives.

It was just a few simple words scrawled across a tiny slip of paper.

_Hello Lighting,_

_I'm looking forward to our game_

_~P_

P… who was P?

And what kind of game did he want to play?

_**Liz: I don't like the sound of this game.**_

_**Oh I do :)**_

_**Ed: That makes it even more frightening.**_

_**Mwahahahahaha**_

_**Envy: nice touch with the evil laughter.**_

_**Thanks.**_

_**Al: REVIEW!**_


	7. Chapter 7: Homeward Bound

**_Liz: After the drama of last chapter, its time for fluff!_**

**_Envy: Yaay!_**

**_Ed: This is about ten months after the last chapter._**

**_Al: You'll notice since this is the after story, this is over a much larger period of time to show their whole lives._**

**_Yep. So its time for FLUFF! The next few chapters will be fluff. The plot on this story is not the priority._**

**_Winry: Don't forget to vote on the poll on the authoress' profile._**

**_Lucy: And REVIEW!_**

**Chapter 7: Homeward Bound**

The note never left my mind. But it faded into the background as time passed by. Jobs became routine after that first whirlwind of an assignment and Ed and I handled them largely uneventfully. Sometimes we worked separately, sometimes together. The longest we ever went without seeing each other was four months. It was weird, no doubt about it. I was still so used to working with Ed and Al. It was my home turf.

And yet it couldn't always be that way. I knew that. I wished it could.

To think I had once wanted so badly to escape the brothers and go out on my own. To think how much I used to want to be alone.

I wasn't alone of course. I had Envy with me. He was good company for better or worse. And I had him with me for the dreaded visit home, which was especially important.

"Remind me why I'm doing this?" I asked.

"Because you're in the neighborhood and you think you should keep in better contact with your old friends to make up for all the years they thought you were dead." Envy said flatly, practically reciting word for word what I had told him earlier.

He left out the part when I said, _"And you are obligated to force me to see this through."_ That was pretty much understood between us.

"Right. Of course." I rubbed a hand over my forehead.

"I recall you being in a similar state of distress the last time we visited here." Envy said. "Because everyone thought you were dead. I think those are more drastic circumstances than this. Its only been a year and everyone knows you are living now."

"Yeah, but you left out the part that the last time I went home, I kind of brought a bunch of homunculi with me and they burned half the place down." I muttered. "That and…" I trailed off, biting my lip.

"And it's been about a year since your cousin's death." Envy finished for me. He was getting really good at finishing my sentences. It would have been an adorable, romantic thing if it wasn't Envy and he wasn't permanently obnoxious.

In a lovable kind of way.

"Yeah. That." I pulled my knees up to my chest, resting my chin on top of them. "Tomorrow. It'll be a year tomorrow."

Envy nodded. "So, you picked a depressing time to visit. But I doubt anyone resents you for the fire."

"Its my fault." I said.

"Always selfishly trying to take the blame." Envy shook his head. "If you recall, Fear came to that village to find Thomas. Not you. She would have come anyway, whether you were there or not. It was pure coincidence. Not your fault."

"Sure." I said.

"Hey kid," Envy poked me on the forehead. "Wipe that look off your face. We've talked about this, haven't we? The blaming yourself for everything? It pisses me off."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to anger 'The Great Envy One'" I said, waving my fingers mysteriously in the air. "Though you're not as much of a threat anymore. You know, without the immortality and shape shifting thing."

"'The Great Envy One' finds your lack of faith disturbing."

"You're weird."

"Hello pot. My name is kettle."

"Shut up."

Yeah… even if Envy couldn't completely soften the blow of old wounds, he could at least brace me for the impact. He was good for that. Never cruel but never too easy on me. Just the kind of person I needed in my life.

I was glad to have him with me as the train pulled into the station.

* * *

It was a bit like déjà vu, getting off the train. Lucy was there to meet me at the station, crushing me in a hug. She had been back in town for five months now and I had sent her a letter to alert her to my arrival. That way it wouldn't be too much of a shock. I hated being a surprise.

Surprise or not, Lucy made sure to crush my midsection with her arm.

"So glad to see you, Lizzie! It feels like it's been eons!"

"About ten months. It's been awhile." I gasped out. "Not as long as the first time though."

"Nothing is as long as the first time." Lucy said, pulling back and giving me a chance to breathe. "And if anything ever _is _as long as the first time, I will track you down and kill you in various different ways."

"I'll keep that in mind." I grinned.

"Hey Envy," Lucy slapped him on the back with her steel arm and I was gratified to see him wince slightly. "Taking care of Liz?"

"Of course. She's only gotten kidnapped once!"

"How impressive."

"Both of you can just go die." I muttered. "Kendra and Brandon around?"

"Yep. They're at home with Thomas." Lucy said and my heart dropped for a moment before I remembered that 'Thomas' was the name of their little boy. They had named him for my cousin almost a year ago. "Oh, you've got to see the kid. He's the cutest little baby _ever_." Lucy gushed, leading me along. Envy followed after, rubbing his shoulder where Lucy hit him.

I know this shouldn't make me happy, but I kind of liked the fact that Envy could feel pain now. It meant I didn't have to be a fragile human being alone.

* * *

We were almost to Kendra's house when a familiar voice boomed behind me.

"Ah ha! I see my old rival has decided to show her face yet again!"

I rolled my eyes and turned to face Brandon. "Hey there, flat foot. Miss me?"

"I missed beating up on you."

"Isn't that my line?" I crossed my arms.

"Maybe they were but _this _time, I'm going to beat you for sure." He vowed, stabbing his fist into the air, with flourish.

"Those are fighting words." My knees bent slightly in preparation for the attack. "Is that a challenge?"

"You bet, alchemy freak!"

"Come at me, flatfoot!"

"Oh good, I was hoping to watch this again." I heard Envy say.

"Yay violence." Lucy sang.

Somehow, Brandon and I ended up in his front yard. Him on his back, me standing over him with a grin on my face. I was panting and sweat clung to my forehead, so he had forced me to exert myself. "You've gotten better." I said, holding out my hand for him to take. "Have you been practicing?"

"Sure have." Brandon said, taking my hand and allowing me to hoist him up.

"Too much." Kendra's voice came at us from the doorway. "He practices every day."

"Not neglecting your amazing wife and child I hope." I said, smacking him over the back of the head.

"Ow! No, no! I'm not!" Brandon said.

"He's very good with the baby." Kendra stepped outside and only now did I see that she held a little bundle in her arms. He'd gotten bigger since the last time I'd seen him and he now had a flash of blonde hair atop his once bald little head. But he had not lost any of his cuteness.

"Hey little guy." I beamed, holding out my hand. Thomas grasped onto my finger with curious little baby hands.

"Want to hold him?" Kendra asked.

"I-I don't know. I'd be afraid to hurt him." I said, stepping back.

"You're not going to hurt him, Lizzie." Brandon clapped me on the back. "He's sturdy, aren't you boy? He's got _my _blood in him."

"Modest as always." I rolled my eyes. "Okay. Okay I'll hold him for a minute."

Kendra stepped forward, carefully placing Thomas in my arms. He squirmed a bit and I was afraid he might start crying but he looked up at me and giggled instead.

"What? Something on my face?" I joked. Thomas grasped at my hair. "He's a curious one. Completely adorable. Must get _that _from his mother."

"Hey!" Brandon protested.

"He's a handful though." Lucy said. "So he gets that from his father."

"HEY!"

I laughed and Envy simply smirked, looking over the scene with curiosity but cautiousness. I don't think he was used to being involved with… cute human things yet.

"Do you want to hold him?" Kendra asked, looking at Envy.

"Oh, don't trust him with your small child. He's 'The Great Envy One'. He's dangerous." I said.

Envy rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't call me dangerous, but I'll pass. I'm not very well acquainted with small children."

"Neither is Liz." Kendra said.

"Good point, but I'm _really _not acquainted with small children." Envy said. "He's… cute though."

Aw, look at that. Envy tried to utter a compliment. He's so adorable when he does that.

"Here." I handed Thomas back to Kendra. "I think I've held him correctly for too long. If I hold him much longer I might make a mistake."

"Suit yourself." Kendra said. "Anyway, you're just in time. Dinner is almost ready. You're joining us right?"

"Of course." I grinned. "Thanks for your hospitality."

"Any time, alchemy freak." Brandon clapped me on the back.

"Bite me, flatfoot!"

"Oh you two…" Kendra sighed, shaking her head.

What can I say? Some things never change.

* * *

That day with Kendra, Brandon and Lucy was a lot better than I expected. No hard feelings were brought up. No accusations. When we wandered around town as the sun dropped in the sky, no one confronted me about the trouble I brought on the village. Instead I saw smiling faces and signs of renewal. Most of the buildings had been rebuilt and fixed, all without Thomas' alchemy. The town could still function and was thriving as it once had.

The damage from the fire hadn't been all that bad.

But even so, when the sun went down and everyone else went to bed, melancholy settled over me. When the clock struck midnight, I couldn't help but slip out from under the blankets on the couch where I was sleeping, and slip outside. I couldn't help but go to Thomas house.

It still stood untouched. No one even bothered to lock it because no one would ever steal from a dead man in this town.

I couldn't help but go inside, sit down on the floor of his library, and remember a time when we sat together and studied alchemy and talked of our dreams to one day join the state and make a difference in the world.

Tears stung my eyes. A year ago today that had all ended. A year ago today, Thomas left my life forever. One of my best friends from childhood and he was gone. Maybe it wasn't my fault but he had still sacrificed himself to help our cause.

I wrapped my arms around my knees and tried to hold back the tears.

"I know you so well. I should get a medal." I heard Envy's voice from behind me.

"I'll get one made for you when we get back to Central." I muttered through my tears, hastily wiping them away. "How'd you know I'd come here?"

"This is where you came right after it happened. And you have a tendency to go for the really depressing places when you're depressed so you can fuel all of your sadness." Envy replied. "A lot of humans do. Its stupid."

"You're human too now." I snapped.

"I know, and I still don't get it." Envy circled around and squatted in front of me. "Why you torture yourself?"

"Torturing myself makes me feel better."

"That seems counter intuitive."

"Be human for a few more years. You'll get it."

"Maybe." Envy reached out and wiped away a stray tear. "I still hate seeing you do this to yourself."

"I know. You always get bizarrely nice when I do." I said. "When Thomas died, you came here and kissed me and held me. After Judgement died… well…" Heat rose to my cheeks.

Envy smirked. "Yes, that was a nice night, wasn't it?"

"Shut up."

"You are shockingly red right now."

"I'm going to punch you."

"If that makes you happy." Envy moved to sit next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me close. "You have to happy today. Not just sad. You can remember Thomas. But you don't get to wallow in your depression."

"What? I don't get a day to wallow? That's not fair." I said.

"If it was another day, I'd let you." Envy said. "But today is not the day for wallowing.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Envy blinked. "You're kidding. Do I really know this better than you? You are _so _oblivious for a once child prodigy, Liz."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said seriously.

Envy sighed. "Leave it to you to remember the bad and not the good." He leaned forward and kissed me briefly. "Happy birthday, idiot."

* * *

_**Oh Liz. You're so oblivious**_

_**Liz: You wrote me that way**_

_**Don't break the forth wall *smack***_

_**Liz: Ow.**_

_**Envy: Well after that bit of depressing plus adorable**_

_**Ed: REVIEW!**_

_**Al: And have a good week!**_


	8. Chapter 8: In Memory Of

**_I got this out late because business and its the end of the semester and bsdfhasdkfjshadf_  
**

**_Liz: At least its out_**

**_Ed: You haven't skipped a day yet_**

**_Yaay me_**

**_Al: Enjoy this chapter_**

**_Envy: And vote on the Envy poll!_**

**_Lucy: REVIEW_**

**Chapter 7: In Memory Of**

At first I wanted to celebrate each death individually. Give each person I loved a day of respect, which I thought they deserved. But Envy told me that would only lead to my depression for about a month straight, which I guess was true. We'd known a lot of people who died.

So instead I made the decision to make it one day. One day where I honored all of them where I got to do all the moping and crying and emoting I wanted and Envy couldn't do a damn thing about it. Except for maybe hug me or kiss me. But he couldn't open his mouth to argue with me which was the important thing.

I chose the day after my birthday. I spent my birthday with friends, enjoying their company and enjoying life, as I should. But I took the next day to spend time with those who had died so that I could live on and have more birthdays.

I made a list of them all, and decided how I would honor each one. I decided how I would remember all those who had died.

For my family, it wasn't hard. I'd been thinking about their deaths for years. My father, mother and Timmy, my little brother. I visited the sight of my old house on that day, and their graves in the cemetery. I talked to them and said the typical apologies for not being able to help them and for being stupid enough to attempt revenge as if it would bring them back. I apologized for not always using my talent for alchemy for good. Then I told Timmy about all of the adventures as a State Alchemist I'd had, editing them for his still young ears.

Malice might have been grown up, but he wasn't Timmy. Timmy was still an innocent little boy as far as I was concerned. The same eight year old who once watched my alchemy with wide eyed awe. The same one who made me promise to become a state alchemist one day.

The only reason I was still here. He was the thing that first kept me going.

I honored the others in the cemetery as well. There was Clara, the innocent who had been turned into Fear. I'd always remember her sweet laugh. Then Lori, the one who never forgave me. I hated her for a while after what happened, but there's nothing left of that now. She was just a scared, depressed girl who wanted someone to blame. I understood that. So I paid my respects to her and her innocence.

Then of course there was Thomas, my cousin. I had something special for him. The ring he gave to us before he died which eventually helped us subdue his sister. He sacrificed himself to help us. So that day, on the first anniversary of the deaths, I lay the ring at his grave.

"Thanks Tommy." I whispered. "You really did help us. Thanks for always being there for me." I kissed my fingers and set them against the stone. "I hope I see you again someday. We can study alchemy again together. Sound good?"

My voice broke and tears came to my eyes, but that was okay. It was my day of mourning. I could feel whatever I wanted.

* * *

I wished that I had only the souls in that cemetery to honor. But there were way too many more. Knuckles, for instance, the chimera that had helped us and lost his life in the process. And the other chimeras too. Marta, Dorechet, Roa. I remembered all of them very clearly, for the brief time I knew them.

I remembered Scar, who had given his arm to save Al when he was about to be destroyed. The man who had tried to kill us on several occasions ended up being a truly good person in the end and I never forgot that.

I didn't have to remember Hughes' death anymore, since he had come back to us. But even so, there were too many people I had known who I'd watch die, whether I knew them well or not.

And then there were the homunculi.

"It's amazing." I murmured. "Now that I think about it, there's so many homunculi whose deaths I regret. I didn't think there would be so many."

"Guess homunculi can be likable if they try." Envy said. He'd been silent for most of the day, but he answered when I spoke to him. And never with anything made to annoy me either. It had to have been difficult for him. "Except for me. I'm likable inherently."

"Sure you are." I rolled my eyes. "But really. There are a lot. I'm sorry for Judgment. She died trying to protect Winry and she was the sweetest little girl. She helped me escape even though she knew the other homunculi would come after her. Then there was Wrath. He died fighting to save me." I traced my finger along my knee. "He died once and I wasn't there to see it. He got a second chance and he still died. It's the worst luck in the world."

"The kid was always devoted to you." Envy nodded. "Never made much sense to me why."

"Oh _really?" _I raised an eyebrow.

He smirked and shrugged. "I'm devoted to you in a different way, Liz."

"True." I said. "There was Greed as well. I didn't know too well and he was annoying."

"Agreed."

"But… he did save me a few times. And he saved you once too." I shrugged. "I owe him for that. I couldn't have dealt with losing you again."

"I didn't like him or anything. Really I hated his guts." Envy said. "But I see what you mean."

I smiled slightly. "I was sad for Fear's death as well. Maybe its just the way she died in the end. I saw Clara in her. I saw a scared kid. And so I can't help but remember her." I pulled my knees up to my chest. "Then there was Spite."

Envy exhaled. "Yeah. Then there was Spite."

"So it does still bother you." I looked up at him. "I wondered."

"It bothers me how Dante brought Kristen back. It bothers me that she unnerved me so much. It bothers me how she died." Envy shook his head. "Its not like I had any feelings for the homunculus but I did have feelings for Kristen. Can't deny that." He glanced at me. "Hell, if it wasn't for her, I don't think I would have been initially drawn to you. Sounds a bit cruel but—"

"Envy, I've _seen _your cruel. That's not cruel." I poked him in the shoulder. "That's you not getting the emotions thing. Because you were a homunculus. Besides you're not with me just because of Kristen now."

"No, you're right, I'm not." Envy said.

"And I liked Spite." I said. "She reminded me of myself I guess. We were look alikes in every way and she cheated the system until the end. She was brave and we wouldn't have known about Dante's plan without her." I stared up at the ceiling. "There are so many people who got us here today. Too many."

"You didn't force it on any of them though." Envy said.

"You're right." I said. For a long moment we didn't speak again. We just sat in the silence of remembrance. We'd been doing that a lot today.

It didn't exactly make me feel good, but it felt necessary. And that was the most important thing.

* * *

I understand why Envy wanted me to stop moping. All things considered, I'm horrendously dull to be around when I'm grieving. But he never said a word to stop me. Not even when silences expanded into hours. I went places to be alone. Like Thomas' house. Like the quiet and still destroyed parts of town. Like the cemetery.

But at the end of the day, when midnight hit, I returned home to the room Kendra and Blake had lent us for the night and found Envy waiting for me.

"Day of sadness is over?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I managed a small smile. "Yeah."

"Good." He stood up and moved over to me, pulling me into a kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck and continued it. Nothing like his closeness to make me feel better. Its funny… it used to piss me off whenever I even saw him. Not so anymore.

We kissed until we had no choice but to break apart for breath. My breathing was slightly ragged. Unsteady from the swirling of emotions inside me. Envy brushed my hair back from my face. "Are you okay?"

I smiled and nodded. "I'm going to be."

"Okay."

"Okay."

I don't know exactly when we ended up on the bed but I didn't care. My day of moping and remembrance was over and I was expected to cheer up.

Sometimes I just needed a little help to do so.

* * *

"Thanks for visiting." Kendra said as they saw us off the next day. She held Thomas, squirming in her arms. "We're glad you could find time to see us."

"I'm going to keep making time to see you all for the rest of my life." I said. "No more disappearances."

"Good. I need someone to practice on." Brandon clapped me on the back.

I grinned. "Isn't that my line, flat foot?"

"Save trip Lizzie." Lucy said, poking me on the forehead. "I'll be seeing you soon though. In just a month."

"Right." I smiled. "The anniversary of Dante's death." We had planned to celebrate a year of freedom from Dante's grasp. All together as friends. That at least would be a happy day. "I'll see you then."

"Keep her unkidnapped until then." Lucy told Envy.

"I'll try." Envy smirked.

We boarded the train and watched the town fade into the distance. As it did, a weight lifted off my chest and I smiled. Even if I loved my old home, it always carried a bitter sweet atmosphere. I was glad to leave.

Envy caught my eye from the seat across from me. "Okay now?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah… I'm okay."

_**Liz: Depressingness!**_

_**Envy: Hooray**_

_**Ed: But next chapter is happy**_

_**Yep! A celebration of the one year anniversary of killing Dante**_

_**Al: ALLL the filler.**_

_**Winry: Hope you enjoyed.**_

_**Lucy: REVIEW and VOTE on the poll!**_


	9. Chapter 9: The Day it all Ended

**_Another late chapter. I'll get better at this whenever school is done with_  
**

**_Liz: The authoress has had a lot of papers and such_**

**_Envy: And she's moving out tomorrow_**

**_Ed: Its amazing she's updating at all_**

**_Aw, you guys are on my side_**

**_Lucy: Only for now._**

**_Liz: Don't get to comfortable_**

**_Thanks guys..._**

**_Al: Enjoy this chapter of fluff!_**

**Chapter 8: The Day it all Ended**

For all the deaths I mourned, there was one death that I was keen on celebrating.

It doesn't seem like the best topic for a holiday but, trust me, some deaths are worthy of celebration. When a person kidnaps you on multiple occasions, causes the deaths of several people close to you and generally makes it their goal to screw up your life, you kind of want to break out the confetti to commemorate them finally biting the dust.

I am obviously talking about Dante. But I don't think we would have planned a huge celebration if her death was only a death. I mean, I obviously have something against revenge and taking joy in it. But killing Dante wasn't for revenge and this day wasn't just for her death. It was far more than that. This was the anniversary of the day it all ended. The day we were finally free from the hellish adventure that had dominated our lives for almost five years of our lives. The day Dante died was the day we broke out of a cage of despair.

I mean, just think about everything that has happened to me because of Dante. Too many kidnappings to count, the death of loved ones and the resurrection of their bodies to torture us. I died once and past into another dimension. I almost lost Envy who, as we have seen, is partially responsible for keeping me sane. I had to live with a huge scar and the spasms that came with it for a few years. And that was just me. Ed, Al, Envy and the others had all been effected by her. We all had our reasons for celebration.

It was kind of like celebrating the end of a war. Technically it _was _the end of a very short conflict with Drachma. The battle itself was minor at best, however, compared to the trouble Dante and her various homunculi minions had inflicted upon Amestris.

Envy of course was one of these homunculi minions. But he was human now. And because of this he seemed to be feeling just a little jittery when we arrived back in Central.

"Why do we have to hold this little celebration at the most awkward place possible for me?"

"I'm sure we could pick a more awkward place."

"_I _don't." Envy crossed his arms, looking irritated. That's how he responds to nerves. With irritation.

He's so like Edward in that way. It was an adorable fact that I planned to mention to my favorite blonde pipsqueak later.

"Hughes has a big house, fit for a small get together. And his wife is the most amazing cook ever. They love to entertain. And their daughter is an adorable ball of adorable." I pointed out. "Besides, they have as much cause to celebrate as we do. Hughes came out alive."

"Yes, after being shot by me. Everyone seems to forget that detail." Envy said.

"If we've forgotten that detail, why are you so nervous?" I said snidely.

Envy glared at me. "You're smug tonight, aren't you?"

"Annoyed yet?"

"Very."

"I'm sorry. It must be terrible to keep company with someone who is smug _all the time_."

"Terrible. I don't know how you handle it." Envy smirked.

I tried to smack him over the head, but he dodged. "You'll be fine, okay. Its not like its just the Hughes family. Ed will be there—"

"Oh good, my favorite little brother who still doesn't completely like me."

"And Mustang—"

"Because we've had SUCH a good history together."

"And Lucy—"

"Who threatens me at celebrations every time it looks like I'm not forcing you to have fun. You know, you're really bad at making me feel better." Envy glanced at me.

I sighed. "Oh come on. Al and Winry will be there and you don't have any problems with them. And Lust said she's going to try to make it too." I grinned. "You know she's still with Jean Havoc?"

"I've heard." Envy smirked at this as well.

"And, if all else fails, you'll have me there." I spun in front of him, walking backwards down the street as we talked. "So that's something."

"Sometimes I'm not even sure _you _fully like me." Envy said.

"Sometimes I'm not sure myself."

"Want me to kiss you to help with your indecision?"

"Smarmy bastard."

Arguing was our favorite sport, but I didn't mind it. It would distract Envy from orchestrating a plan to escape the party early. Because this was one of the few parties I was keen to celebrate at and awkward situations aside, he was going to celebrate with me.

* * *

Hughes had a camera in hand as soon as we walked in the door. He snapped a picture so fast that even Envy couldn't dodge. This unfortunately meant that Envy won the bet on how quick on the draw he would be. He had bet within the first twenty seconds and I had bet within the first thirty.

Win some, lose some.

"Ugh, Hughes, can't you even wait a second?" I groaned, half because I hated getting my picture taken and half because I had lost the bet.

"Of course not Liz. I need plenty of documentation." Hughes clapped me on the shoulder. "How have you been for the past year? I've barely seen you?"

"I've been good actually." I smiled. "And you? I imagine readjusting has been difficult."

"A bit, but with Roy's help, it's not going so badly." Hughes said. "The military is unfortunately very experienced with cover ups so they're doing the same with my mysterious return. This concept doesn't need to be common knowledge."

"So what's their story?" I asked.

"I had a very important mission to take care of." Hughes said tapping his chin. "So they faked my death so no one would suspect me of working on it. It was important that no one knew, especially my family, or they could be put in danger."

"Sounds legit." I said. "Did General Flame come up with that?"

"As a matter of fact I did." Mustang's voice came from behind me. Hughes snapped a picture of him and Colonel Hawkeye with lightning speed. "Damn it Maes!"

"Glad you made it, Roy." Hughes said. "Riza. Glad to see you both."

"Glad to see you haven't changed General Hughes." Hawkeye gave one of her rare smiles.

"Not even a trip to the grave and change my love of making memories." Hughes said.

Envy coughed into his hand and glanced away.

"No hard feelings of course." Hughes said, walking past Envy and back toward the kitchen, patting him on the shoulder as he went.

"That's because you're weird!" Envy called after him.

"If you don't like the lack of hard feelings, I can always provide them." Mustang said cheerfully, following Hughes to the kitchen.

"No thanks. You have the fire thing and I can die now." Envy said.

"Wise decision. Just don't kill anyone else."

"I will make a concerted effort."

We all went into the kitchen then, finding Ms. Gracia hard at work with Lucy and Winry helping her.

"Oh, hello Liz." Gracia said, looking up from her work. "Glad you could make it." Her gaze went to Envy and she nodded. "Envy."

"Hello." Envy nodded back, then trained his eyes to the ceiling. I wondered if Envy felt more awkward around Hughes or his wife. I'd have to ask him later.

"Wouldn't miss your cooking for the world." I looked around. "Where are the others?"

"Ed, Al, Kendra and Brandon are in the living room with Elysia and Thomas." Lucy said. "Al wanted to help, but there were too many people in the kitchen already."

"And knowing my husband, he's probably taking pictures of them." Gracia smiled fondly. "Why don't you all go on in there? Dinner will be ready soon."

We obeyed, moving into the living room. Al was on the floor, playing with Elysia and one of her teddy bears. Kendra and Brandon sat on the floor as well, Brandon bouncing little Thomas on his knee. He was a little over a year old now and chubby cheeked with just a tuft of blonde hair on his head. Ed was on the couch, frowning and making some kind of jab at Hughes. Mustang stood beside them, smirking at Ed's pain as usual and Hawkeye stood behind him, rolling her eyes as usual.

It was a nice group of people.

"Hey, Liz!" Ed spotted me and waved me over. "Want to tell this idiot to stop taking pictures of me? He's already gotten five."

"Most of yours don't turn out well because you frown." Hughes pouted.

"Because I hate having my picture taken." Ed sighed.

"You and Liz are alike in that way." Hughes sighed.

"Edward and Liz have _always _been alike. That's why I first assigned them together." Mustang smirked.

I rolled my eyes. At one point such a comment would have sent Ed and I into a fit of rage but now we were grown up and used to it so we could handle the situation with maturity and—

"Sure, maybe a little. But I'm definetily the smarter of us." I said flatly.

"You wish, shrimp! I got my certification first! And I was the youngest!"

"Well _I _was the first girl."

"I'm still smarter."

"Were not pipsqueak!"

Al sighed. "General, why did you have to provoke another one of their old arguments."

"Couldn't resist." Mustang grinned.

"How about I make you two a deal." Hughes said, point at Ed and I and effectively ending our argument. "Let me get a picture of you two together with you both smiling and I won't take pictures of you for the rest of the night."

"Promise?" Ed and I asked in unison.

"Of course." Hughes said, holding up his camera. "Now smile."

"Ugh, fine, lets get this over with." I wrapped my arms around Ed's shoulders and plastered on a huge, cheesy smile. He did the same. As soon as the flash disappeared, we dropped to pose.

"I hate pictures."

"Yeah, smiling on cue sucks."

"But it'll turn out great." Hughes grinned. "Thank you." Then he swooped off to take pictures somewhere else.

"I'll say this." Envy said, coming up behind me. "He'll never lack for scrap book material."

"You've got that right." I said.

"Hi Miss Liz!" I felt a tugging on my sleeve and I looked down to see Elysia beaming up at me.

"Hey Elysia." I knelt down in front of her. "God, you've gotten so big. How old are you now?"

"I'm seven." She said cheerfully.

"Wow. That's pretty old." I ruffled her hair.

"Not as old as you." Elysia poked me. "How old are you?"

"I'm twenty two now, kiddo." I said.

"Much older." Elysia nodded. She looked up at Envy. "And how old are you."

"Uh…" Envy looked around the room as if he thought words might jump out at him. "Old."

"_How _old." Elysia asked. "What number?"

Envy shifted from foot to foot.

I was wrong. Envy isn't the most awkward around Hughes or Gracia. He's the most awkward around their daughter.

"Around 400." He finally replied.

Elysia's eyes bugged. "Wow."

"But he looks more like he's in his early twenties. So that's the official story, okay kiddo?" I winked at her.

She nodded enthusiastically. Envy sighed and rubbed a hand behind his head.

Obviously he is _amazing _with kids.

"Lust! Havoc!" I heard Al say and I turned to see the two people he mentioned walking into the room. Lust looked as gorgeous as ever and Havoc looked just as enthused with her. But it seemed to have died down from the love struck puppy look. Now he simply looked happy, and that was good to see from Havoc.

Lust looked happy too, a rare thing from the homunculus who so rarely smiled. I grinned and straightened, waving at her. "Hey Lust."

"Hello Liz." Lust nodded as Havoc went over to greet Hawkeye and Mustang. "If I had nails to shoot I'd greet you with a close encounter with your bad shoulder for old time's sake."

"Darn. My bad shoulder was just thinking it wanted a visit from your nails." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, we can substitute her nails with a knife." Envy said helpfully.

"It wouldn't be the _same _Envy." I retorted. Then I looked back to Lust. "How have you been?"

"Well. Enjoying freedom." She said.

"Well, that is why we're here. To enjoy it. To celebrate it." I gestured to the crowded room.

At that moment, Lucy popped into the room, a big smile on her face. "Food is on the table! Come and get it!"

At once the room converged toward the table.

Over dinner we recounted all the best memories. Our many bad train encounters with terrorists. Our hijinks as children. Hughes' resurrection plan. The ultimate death of Dante and why we were glad she was gone from our lives forever.

It was a nice time. A carefree moment in our lives filled up with the very best kind of nostalgia. I could have sat at that table all day.

I still go back to that moment sometimes. Back before our real lives, our lives post Dante, began. We still knew so little even though we had been through hell.

But there would be a whole life to figure out everything else.

* * *

**_Hope you enjoyed this fluffy chapter! There's going to be a long string of fluff and happiness before anything dark comes back in_**

**_Liz: Yay_**

**_Ed: Rejoice_**

**_Envy: So excited_**

**_You sound enthused, don't you._**

**_Liz: Don't take it personally... okay do... but we don't fully trust you_**

**_I guess its merited._**

**_Al: Don't forget to vote on the new poll! Happy Friday!_**


	10. Chapter 10: Edward's Confession

_**Liz: You keep on putting these up late.**_

_**Yeah... well... shut up.**_

_**Envy: Riveting argument.**_

_**Ed: As usual.**_

_**Yeah, yeah. Another fluffy chapter. Lots of hyper Liz and some adorableness at the end.**_

_**Al: Enjoy!**_

**Chapter 10: Edward's Confession**

The next months passed more routinely. We went back to our jobs after a brief celebration of it all being over. Ed and I were teamed up on some assignments and sent separately on others. Winry returned to Risenbol, though she seemed very sad to do so.

"It gets lonely there now that I don't have Pinako." She said. "And with Den getting old… well, I just don't know how long it'll be before I am alone."

"Couldn't you move?" Ed asked. "Rush valley would be glad to have you, I'm sure."

"I love Rush valley. And I've thought about it. But there are people in Risenbol who need me." She shook her head. "They have to travel so far to see any other mechanic."

"Yeah." I pat her on the shoulder. "But we'll keep visiting Winry. I'll break Ed's arm if I have to insure it."

"Let's see if you can get him to visit when he _doesn't _need repairs." Winry said dryly.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!" Ed snapped.

"Nothing, lunkhead." She sighed and bid us farewell.

We did visit her a few times over that next year. Sometimes separately but once together. It was eleven months after the anniversary of Dante's death that we found ourselves on the same train headed to Risenbol.

We didn't even realize it until we stepped off the train and I ran smack dab into Ed.

"Hey watch where you're going!" he snapped.

"Whoops. Couldn't see you because you were so small." I said when I realized who it was. I knew that irritated tone of voice anyway.

"HEY! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE CALLING—Oh Liz. Its you."

"She's the only one who calls you short anymore, little brother." Envy said, stepping up beside me. "Besides me of course."

"That's because I'm _not _short anymore."

"You're an inch shorter than me." Envy shrugged.

"Yeah, well how does that explain Liz's logic?"

"Liz and logic don't go together." Envy sighed.

"Shut up, palm tree." I punched him in the shoulder. "Liz logic makes perfect sense to me. It informs me that though the nickname is no longer true, the anger it creates is, which makes it just as entertaining." I glanced at Envy. "I mean he doesn't look much like a palmtree anymore. But it still irritates him. So I use it."

"Just like you're no longer a kid anymore and I still call you kid." Envy said cheerfully.

"Shut up!"

"Liz logic is hypocritical."

"Liz logic is telling me to murder you."

"Brother I've got the bags. You—" Al paused in mid-sentence as he crossed over to us. "Envy. Liz."

We were too busy arguing to notice him.

"Liz logic couldn't murder me if it tried."

"Liz logic isn't a _person _idiot. I'M the person that's going to murder you."

"You couldn't either."

"Is that a challenge?"

"What are they doing brother?" Al asked.

"Don't know. They just started going on a death threat argument again."

"I'm so used to this from you and Liz, I'm not even surprised."

"Yeah—HEY!"

If you were expecting us to age and mature after all this time… you don't know us very well.

* * *

Winry was surprised but overjoyed to see us, especially when she saw that Ed's arm and leg were completely intact.

"Give me a little credit why don't you?" Ed had groaned.

"Considering all the times you've come home with a busted up arm, I don't think you deserve it." Winry said snidely.

"Well, hello to you too!"

We were both here avoiding work, as it turned out. We'd finished our last inspections and Risenbol was on the way back to Central… Or in Ed and Al's case, completely out of the way of Central and Ed just wanted to avoid Mustang.

"Its only a few days delay. Not a big deal." Ed waved his hand dismissively.

"That's our story and we're sticking to it." I nodded. I mean, we usually took longer on our jobs than usual because we got into trouble. Mustang wouldn't know the difference. And if he did, what could he do?

Probably settle us with the worst possible job. But hey, we were used to that by now.

Winry did end up adjusting Ed's arm and leg anyway, just to make sure they were in top condition. He thanked her and complained as usual but I couldn't help but notice he seemed jumpier. His smiles seemed forced and he changed the subject a lot, often finding excuses to leave the room. I caught him turning red more than once, kind of like he used to back when he was still denying his love for Winry.

But that wasn't a problem anymore. So what was the subject of his denial now.

"He's hiding something." I told Envy, one night before going to bed. I was pacing about the room, deeply entrenched in detective mode, while Envy watched me with mild amusement. "He can't hide a secret well to save his life."

"You two have that in common"

"Shut up. Anyway, it seems to have something to do with Winry. He's acting weird around her. Like he's hiding something from her. But if its not his undying love…" I trailed off, tapping my lip. Then I gasped, whirling around to face Envy. "You don't think he's… found someone else do you?"

Envy raised an eyebrow. "Why is that your first conclusion?"

"Because he's hiding something! And it has to do with Winry! He's not in any danger right now. If he was, he would have told me. This is something that he doesn't even want to tell me." I stabbed a finger in the air. "Because he knows that I'd murder him. I'm right, aren't I? He's found someone else? This is literally the worst thing that could happen!"

"I dunno. I recall this certain person named Dante—"

"Let me be over dramatic, Envy." I said, holding a hand out to stop him. "Do you have ANY idea how long I worked to get these two together. If it falls apart… all my long hard work will be for nothing. And it _shouldn't _fall apart because they are perfect and meant to be with one another."

"Yes and if they were to break up, your credibility as a match maker would be ruined." Envy said dryly.

"EXACTLY!" I exclaimed.

"Keep your voice down or you'll alert the whole house of your conspiracy theory." Envy got up. "Stop making deductions until you have more information."

"You think I should search his suitcase?" I asked.

Envy sighed, resting his hands on my shoulders. "No, maybe you should… talk to him. If he's so bad at hiding secrets then you'll probably get an answer out of him."

I blinked. "Oh yeah… Right."

"Right." Envy pat me on the shoulder. "Now, be honest Liz, how much apple pie did you eat? Because you're acting crazy."

"Only two."

"Two?"

"Okay THREE!"

"Thought so."

It bothers me sometimes that Envy is the sensible one in our relationship.

It also bothers me that I can't grow any taller and that I can't eat too much sugar without going a little psycho. But some things just aren't meant to be.

* * *

The next day, as Envy suggested, I cornered Edward to talk to him about his strange behavior, silently praying that there was no other woman. I basically pounced on him while he was walking down the hallway and dragged him into my room. Even though I was shorter than him, I had enough strength to throw him into a chair.

"Liz, what the hell!" Ed exclaimed.

"We need to talk." I said seriously.

"Then tell me 'hey, let's talk'. Don't sneak attack me!"

"This is a matter of grave importance."

"We shouldn't have let you eat so much apple pie."

"Shut up!" I placed my hands on my hips. Yeah the sugar hadn't completely worn off. "This will go much more simply if you answer my questions honestly."

"O…kay?" Ed said tentatively.

"Do you love Winry?" I asked.

Ed flushed bright red. "Wh-what does that matter?"

"Answer the question."

"Of course I do!"

"Then why are you acting so weird around her?"

"Weird?" Ed shifted in his seat. "What do you mean?"

"You can't meet her eye. You stutter. You get red in the face. These are all signs that you're keeping a secret from her. I know these things about you." I tapped my head. "So why is that Ed?"

"You're imagining things!"

"I am not!"

"Yes you are, its nothing!"

"Do you love Winry?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then why are you acting so weird?"

"I—"

"Why are you keeping secrets?"

"_Because I want to ask her to marry me!_" Ed blurted out. The moment the words left his mouth his face flushed brighter red than I'd ever seen it and he quickly covered his mouth. My jaw dropped.

"You… you what?"

"You heard me." Ed muttered, turning away. "I want to… ask her to marry me."

Oh my god my match making skills were sacred.

I all but tackled Ed, this time in a hug. "Ed that's wonderful. That's amazing. Oh my god!"

"Okay, okay, you're going to smother me." Ed struggled but I didn't let him go until he had been thoroughly hugged. "Its not a big deal or anything."

"Of course it is! It's a huge deal. Stop trying to down play everything and feel emotions, Edward!" I pulled away, sitting down on the edge of my bed. "How are you going to do it?"

"I don't know yet." Ed said, staring at his lap. "I've thought about it but I'm not good with this kind of thing. It should be something special. But I just… I don't know."

"Take her somewhere she likes." I said. "That's a start."

"Like where?" Ed asked.

"Oh, come on, Edward, where's a place that's tailor made for a gear head like Winry?"

"Oh… right… Rush Valley." Ed nodded. "Yeah. Yeah I can propose to her there. She'd like that." He straightened. "Her birthday is in a month. If we can get away from work for a few days we could take her there."

"We could get Panina in on it, she'd help. And of course you have all of us." I nodded. "She'll never suspect."

"Yeah." Ed started to smile and it turned into a grimace. "But what if she says no?"

I sighed and shook my head. "She won't say no."

"How do you know?"

"Because I do. Because I know Winry cares about you. She loves you." I shrugged. "And if she does say no, it'll be a 'not yet'. Not a full 'no'. You don't have to worry."

"I am going to worry though." Ed said. "I know stuff like alchemy like the back of my hand. But when it comes to this… when it comes to real life… I can't handle or understand any of it." He laughed weakly. "I think I'm shaking just talking about it."

"I know. You're adorable like that." I got up and hugged him again, this time more gently. "I proud of you for giving it a shot though."

"Yeah." Ed smiled. "Thanks Liz... though really, please don't eat that much sugar in one setting again."

"WHY does everyone keep _saying _that?"

* * *

"So, you're in a less paranoid mood tonight." Envy said. "Did you get to the bottom of the mystery."

"Yessss?" I said, mysteriously wiggling my eyebrows.

"Really?" Envy leaned forward. "What was the answer?"

"It was pretty amazing."

"So tell me what it is."

"Like, completely unexpected but wonderful."

"Great. So spill."

I stretched, faking a yawn. "Man… I sure am tired. All that sugar is catching up to me." I flopped down on the bed. "I think I'll go to sleep."

"Kid, I will torture you for an answer." Envy said. I felt the weight of him on the mattress next to me and I knew he was leaning over me though my eyes were closed. "I'm very impatient."

"Sleeeepyyy."

"I'll wake you up then." Envy said. True to his promise, he swooped in, kissing me hard, with enough passion that I had to stay awake. I wrapped my hands around his neck, drawing him in closer. But he ended the kiss just as it started to get good.

"Tell me."

I sighed. "Okay, fine." I leaned forward and whispered the secret in his ear. His eyes widened when I pulled back and he stared at me for a long moment before he just burst out laughing. Then I did too as the hilarity of it all hit me. Edward Elric—hot headed, know-it-all, arrogant, oblivious Edward Elric—wanted to get married and start a family.

Maybe I was wrong. Things do change with time after all.

* * *

**_Hope you enjoyed the adorableness!_**

**_Ed: Be sure to review and also vote on the poll_**

**_Envy: Though you probably already have since Liz is winning by an overwhelming margin._**

**_Liz: Woo hoo! Go me!_**

**_Al: Thanks for reading._**

**_And have a good week!_**


	11. Chapter 11: The Proposal

_**Sorry this was late. Its a short chapter but I had a hard time writing it.**_

_**Liz: She struggles with cute things.**_

_**Envy: Because she's so evil**_

_**I'd protest to that but its true.**_

_**Al: Hopefully this turned out cute.**_

_**Ed: REVIEW**_

**Chapter 11: Proposal**

After we delayed our return to Central, Mustang was reluctant to give us time up to go to Rush Valley for Winry's birthday. But when I revealed the reason why, much to Edward's chagrin, he became more willing.

"Really, Fullmetal? Aren't you growing up? Hughes always said you two would end up together."

"Don't smirk at me like that! Its really none of your damn business."

"Oh Edward, there's no need to be so embarrassed."

"I'M NOT!"

"Wow, Liz, look how red he is."

"He is pretty red, isn't he Envy?"

"ALL OF YOU CAN GO TO HELL!"

Oh Edward. Such a sweet and romantic soul.

Once we got the okay from Mustang we set about preparing for the event. First Ed had to make decisions about what he wanted to do for her and how he wanted to propose. He was of course, bad at making decisions and avoided the topic at every opportunity. We solved this problem by locking him inside his hotel room and forcing him to sit down to talk it out with us. Al and I mostly since we knew him well. Envy just wanted to be there to witness Ed's emotional torment.

He's such a lovely older brother.

"You only have to make a few decisions to make Edward, and the sooner you make them, the more time we have to prepare." I said.

"Fine." He grumbled, crossing his arms. "But I'm clueless with this stuff."

"Fortunately, so are we." I said.

Ed raised an eyebrow. "How is that fortunate?"

"That 'we' includes Winry. She's not great with this stuff either, brother." Al said. "Mechanics is to her what alchemy is to you. That's what she understands."

"Which is why we're taking her to Rush Valley instead of… I don't know… some boring beach." I said. "So remember, no matter what you decide, Winry won't judge you for not being an A+ romantic."

"She doesn't even have a standard to compare you too." Envy said. "Since she hasn't been with anyone else. Which is probably a good thing."

"What's _that _supposed to mean?!"

"Oh don't mind Envy." I rolled my eyes. "He's just insulting you because he feels its his duty as your older brother."

"I still don't accept that fact by the way." Ed muttered.

"That's okay, I do." Envy grinned. "Which mean you get the insults free of charge."

"Great."

"Focus, Ed." I snapped my fingers in front of his face. "What are you going to do for her? Because its her birthday too."

"Well… I guess I should get her some nice tools." Ed said. "I don't know what to ask for though."

"I'll get word out to Lucy." Al said. "She'll know what Winry likes. She can go to Rush Valley."

"Yeah and Panina would probably help out." I said. "I think she liked you and Winry together too."

"Why did _everyone _like me and Winry together before we were together?" Ed demanded.

"Obviously because it was meant to be." I said flatly.

"And because Liz told them that you harbored a secret love for Winry." Al said.

"That too."

"_Liz_."

"Focus." I flicked him on the head. "Now, giving her tools in one thing. It's a good birthday gift. But there needs to be something special for the engagement."

"Right… that's what's been giving me trouble." Ed said. "I know jewelry is customary. Rings especially. But Winry is always working with her hands, she can't have some ring getting in the way."

"So you want something special for her. Something specific." I said.

"Right. Something meaningful." Ed said.

"Well…" Al tapped a finger against his chin. "I might have an idea.

* * *

Two days before Winry's birthday, we set out for Rush valley. Lucy had gone to kidnap Winry from Risenbol and bring her to meet us. But she didn't know we were coming. She just thought Lucy wanted to go on an awesome automail trip. It was spontaneous but, then again, Lucy was a crazy girl so it didn't seem too suspicious.

Panina had everything ready when we got there. "Got all the items." She said, holding up a case. "But the special one is separate." She winked.

"Thanks Panina." Ed said. His words came out shaky as he had looked nervous ever since we left Central. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem." She pat him on the arm. "And don't look so nervous. You'll be fine."

"Right." He muttered.

"Now we just have to find her." Al said.

"I'll take you to her. Lucy has her waiting in one of the shops." Panina said. Then she started off and we followed.

I rested a hand on Ed's shoulder. "Are you ready?"

"Not really," he said. "But I can't turn back now, can I?"

"Nope." I said. "Because I wouldn't let you." I gave him a gentle push forward.

When Winry saw us she split into a grin. She didn't suspect anything of course. To her, it was just a surprise birthday present. There was a strategy for doing this kind of thing on holidays.

"Ed, Al, Liz. Wow, everyone's here?" she looked at Lucy. "You didn't tell me."

"Wanted you to be surprised, silly." Lucy grinned.

"I am." Winry stood and went into hug Ed, giving him a quick kiss as well. I tried not to look too mischievous. I had to play it cool so she wouldn't suspect. She hugged the rest of us. "This is a great birthday present."

"Psh, you think that's your only present?" I rolled my eyes. "No, we have something more."

Ed stepped forward. "Well, we got you this." He held up the wrapped up case of automail tools. A case with just one piece in particular missing.

Winry unwrapped it eagerly and looked inside. "Wow. These are the best tools available." Her eyes sparkled. "Oh my god. They're such high quality. I'll bet they're very easy to work with."

"We thought it'd be the best present for you. I mean, you've used your old tools enough on my account. These should last awhile." Ed said.

"It's great, Ed. I love it." Winry looked up at him, grinning from ear to ear. "But its missing something. I mean, what kind of basic set of tools doesn't come with the wrench."

"Well, that's the other thing." Ed said. "The… special thing." He fingered something behind his back. "You know, Winry, since I can remember, you've been chunking wrenches at my head. And it hurt a lot of the time. But you only ever did because you cared. And right after you bashed my head in, you fixed up my automail better than ever. Getting knocked in the head with a wrench almost became a comforting feeling." He was turning red but he kept talking. There was not turning back now. "I wanted to give you something special. That meant something to you and that you could use."

He took his hands out from behind his back and produced a wrench; probably the best one money could buy. It was beautiful even to me, and I didn't care at all about machinery or tools. He held out a wrench. "So this is for you… but uh… with that I have a question. Equivalent exchange. You give me your life and I give you mine. What I mean is… well… will you marry me?"

The realization had begun to dawn on Winry's face halfway through the speech and her face slowly melted into a hue that matched Edward's. By the time he asked the question she was bright red and there were also tears in her eyes. "Idiot. Always having to put things in alchemy terms." She took the wrench from his hands. "Of course the answer is yes."

"Woo hoo!" I pumped my fist in the air. Ed, overjoyed, rushed forward and picked Winry up, swinging her around. Now that the nervousness was gone he was grinning ear to ear.

Everyone around them clapped and gave them their congratulations. I looked on with a smile.

"Wow." Al said, coming up beside me. "I guess Ed really is growing up."

"Yeah." I murmured. "I guess we all are."

* * *

_**Like I said, short and sweet.**_

_**Liz: D'aww. Baby Ed is growing up.**_

_**Ed: Shut up!**_

_**We're gonna have more plot soon so sit tight!**_

_**Al: See you next week.**_

_**Winry: AND REVIEW!**_


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